The Honorable David M. Gill, the longest-serving San Diego Superior Court judge, will formally retire after over 50 years on the bench. His official retirement date will be on his 90th birthday, December 13, 2024. He was appointed to the San Diego Municipal Court by Governor Ronald Reagan in 1974. In 1978, he ran for a seat on the Superior Court and logged a victory over two strong opponents. He was sworn into the Superior Court bench on January 8, 1979.

Throughout his judicial career, Judge Gill has presided over thousands of criminal cases, including a notable 217-day trial, the longest criminal trial in San Diego Superior Court history, in which jurors returned a not-guilty verdict following seven hours of deliberation.

Judge Gill holds significant faith in the jury system and started countless mornings in the San Diego Superior Court’s jury lounge to greet San Diegans entering the courthouse for jury duty. He began a treasured tradition of judges welcoming jurors and commending them for fulfilling their role in the justice system.

“Judge David Gill served our court and the people of San Diego with honor and distinction for over 50 years.  He deeply cared about his role as a judge and wore his judicial robe with humility and respect.  During his time on the bench Judge Gill handled some of the most complex, difficult and controversial cases,” said San Diego Superior Court Presiding Judge Maureen F. Hallahan. “Judge Gill is a mentor and role model to all of us. His well-earned retirement is bittersweet but his influence on the court is an enduring legacy.  We are proud and forever grateful for his inspiration and steadfast belief in the rule of law and the jury system.”

Judge Gill served in the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate General Corps from 1960-1963 and served in the U.S. Army Reserve beginning in 1955 while an undergraduate and then law student at Stanford University. He continued in the Army Reserve throughout much of his professional career, completing 35 years of service in 1990.

Judge Gill’s path to the bench included working in private practice from 1967-1974 and serving as a deputy district attorney from 1963-1967 following a short stint as a deputy city attorney. 

“It’s been said, if you love what you’re doing you’ll never work a day in your life,” said Judge Gill. “I’ve never worked a day in my life.”

Judge Gill has been honored with numerous prestigious awards reflecting his steadfast commitment to ethics and civility in the legal profession. Some of these awards include the William B. Enright Civility & Ethics Award from the California Council of the American Inns of Court, the Jurist of the Year Award from the San Diego County Bar Association, and the “Pillar of the Community Award” presented by the American Board of Trial Advocates.

He was active in the court’s community outreach activities through the San Diego County High School Mock Trial competition. His own community involvement spanned decades of service to organizations that included The Salvation Army, the Boy Scouts of America, the Armed Services YMCA, Goodwill Industries, Lions Club, and the San Diego County Public Law Library.

In retirement, Judge Gill looks forward to spending the mornings on a park bench near his home, watching the dogs play and all the people going to work.