Hon. Vincent J. O'Neill, Jr.
Hon. Vincent J. O'Neill, Jr.
Ventura County Superior Court, Retired
Judge O'Neill recently retired from the Ventura County Superior Court after a 28-year career on the bench, the last 17 of which were spent in the court's civil division. He served as the civil supervising judge for over seven years and was the court's full-time settlement judge for six years. During 10 years of handling a civil vertical calendar and trial assignment, Judge O'Neill presided over all types of civil trials and law and motion matters, along with long-cause trials in other areas such as family law and probate. Judge O'Neill has significant appellate experience, and served as Ventura County's Presiding Judge and Assistant Presiding Judge. He brings to ARC a versatile and pragmatic background, whether called upon to mediate, arbitrate, or serve as a special master or referee.
ORGANIZATIONS & ACHIEVEMENTS
- As Presiding Judge, worked closely with county and city officials to form a unique financial partnership which avoided the closure of the court's Simi Valley branch courthouse.
- Named 2011 Judge of the Year by the Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association.
- Author of several published articles and O'Neill's California Confessions Law.
- Taught criminal law & procedure courses to judges and attorneys; adjunct professor at Ventura College of Law
PRACTICE AREAS
Civil litigation including law and motion, personal injury, wrongful death, medical and legal malpractice, product liability, real property, landlord-tenant, HOA disputes, employment, business/contract, governmental liability, probate, family law, guardianship and termination of parental rights.Conflict Resolution Experience
As the full-time mandatory settlement judge for Ventura County from 2008-2014, Judge O'Neill relied on his extensive trial and appellate experience to help parties and their counsel assess and resolve all types of general civil litigation. In 2020, he handled several virtual settlement conferences following the court's reopening in June.From 2004-2008 and 2014-2020, he presided over a general civil calendar, including law and motion and well over 100 trials, including several probate, family law, mental health and guardianship/parental rights cases.
From 1995 to 2004 he presided over Superior Court criminal motions and trials, including four capital cases. Judge O'Neill sat on the Municipal Court bench from 1992-1995, serving in every assignment on that court, including the civil calendar and criminal plea negotiations and trials.
Judge O'Neill served in the Superior Court Appellate Division for eight years, including seven as presiding judge. He served as a pro tem Justice of the Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District for three different 60-day terms, and has served three times as a Special Master hearing charges brought against other judges by the Commission on Judicial Performance. He also was temporarily assigned to the Riverside Superior Court in 2007 as one of a handpicked group of judges from around the state who assisted that court in resolving a backlog.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
- Webinar: Remote Settlement Skills (CJER 2020)
- Seminar: Negotiation Skills (Ventura Center for Dispute Settlement (2006)
- JD, UCLA School of Law (1977)
- BA, Loyola Marymount University (1974)
Judge O'Neill is available in Ventura and nearby counties.
