The Honorable Margo Lewis Hoy will retire from the San Diego Superior Court today after 11 years on the bench. Judge Hoy was initially appointed to the San Diego Superior Court on July 26, 2010, by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. She handled civil and criminal matters in addition to family law assignments that concluded with finishing her judicial career as the Supervising Judge of the Family Law Division, overseeing 28 family law courtrooms and complex family law trials.

“Being a judge was a lifelong dream and serving for these past 11 years has been an amazing experience,” said Judge Hoy. “Serving three years in criminal and eight years in family law assignments, I realized how much I enjoyed being in trial. Each time, the lawyers before me taught me how to be a better trial judge. Family law touches so many members of the public. These are good people coming before the court while they are going through one of the most difficult things in their life. I know how important it is for a judge to be patient and understanding and I strived to give my best every day.”

Prior to her time on the bench, Judge Hoy worked in private practice for 18 years. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa and her Juris Doctorate from California Western School of Law.

Within the San Diego Superior Court, Judge Hoy served on the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee and chaired the Family Law and Domestic Violence Policy Committees. She also was active in community outreach and education through the Justice 101 classes offered to high school students.

“Judge Hoy has been a steadfast leader and advocate for the Family Law division of the Court,” said San Diego Superior Court Presiding Judge Lorna Alksne. “Presiding over emotionally-charged family law cases can be one of the most difficult assignments on our bench and Judge Hoy has repeatedly volunteered to stay in that assignment, mentoring other judges new to family law along the way. Her contributions to the division leave a lasting legacy.”

Judge Hoy also was an instructor and panel member for seminars and educational programs for the San Diego Family Law Bar Association, the San Diego County Bar Association - Family Law Section, the AAML Annual Institute, and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants’ family law seminar. She prepared curriculum for judicial education and was an instructor for new and experienced family law judges as a part of her work on the Center for Judicial Education and Research’s Family Law Curriculum Committee.

She served as a board member for both the San Diego County Bar Association and the San Diego County Judges Association and has been an active member of the Lawyer’s Club, Association of Certified Family Law Specialists, Association of Business Trial Lawyers, National Association of Women Judges, Wallace Inn of Court, and California Judges Association.

Included among the notable awards she has received during her career are the 2019 Judicial Officer of the Year award from the San Diego Family Law Bar Association and the 2020 Judicial Officer of the Year honors from the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) of Southern California.

In her retirement, Judge Hoy will join Signature Resolution as a neutral and will be based in the new San Diego office.