Hon. Karen Wynholds Sworn In as Judge of the Santa Clara County Superior Court

SAN JOSÉ, Calif. (March 6, 2026):  The Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara is pleased to announce that Hon. Karen Wynholds was sworn in today as a judge of the Santa Clara County Superior Court during an oath of office ceremony held on March 16, 2026.

“We are pleased to welcome Judge Karen Wynholds to the Santa Clara County Superior Court,” said Presiding Judge Julie A. Emede. “Her judicial and legal experience, dedication to public service, and commitment to fairness will be a tremendous asset to our Court and to the communities we serve.”

Judge Wynholds, of San Mateo County, has served as an Immigration Judge at the U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review since 2021. Prior to her judicial service, she was the Executive Director and Managing Attorney at Step Forward Foundation from 2015 to 2021 and operated her own law office from 2010 to 2018.

Judge Wynholds earned her Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law.

She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Julianne Sylva.

Alt text:  Professional headshot of a woman with shoulder-length wavy brown hair, smiling and facing the camera. She is wearing a black judicial robe and standing against a plain light-colored background.