William S. DatoIncumbent

Candidate for Court of Appeal Justice, California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division 1, Seat 8

William S. Dato is an Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal. He sits on the Fourth Appellate District, Division One, in San Diego. He has served there since February 9, 2017. He is a native San Diegan, born in 1955. He earned a bachelor's degree from San Diego State University. That was in political science and economics, in 1977. He earned a J.D. from the UCLA School of Law. That was in 1980. Early in his career he was a research attorney. He worked for Chief Justice Rose E. Bird of the California Supreme Court. He also worked for Justices Matthew O. Tobriner and Howard B. Wiener. They both sat on the Court of Appeal. He then practiced at Milberg, Weiss, Bershad, Hynes & Lerach. He rose there from associate to partner. Governor Gray Davis appointed him to the San Diego County Superior Court. That was in 2003. There he served as Supervising Judge of the North County Branch. He also served as Presiding Judge of the court's Appellate Division. Governor Jerry Brown appointed him to the Court of Appeal. That was in December 2016. It filled the vacancy left by Justice James McIntyre's retirement. The Commission on Judicial Appointments confirmed him on February 9, 2017. Voters retained him on November 6, 2018. He got 64.2% voting yes. That term expires in early January 2027. He therefore appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot. It is a nonpartisan yes/no retention vote, with no opposing candidate. As of August 21, 2026, no organized campaign for or against his retention had been found.

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