On Thursday, June 5, 2025, Mission Local reported that San Francisco Superior Court Judge Braden Woods, previously accused of harassing female attorneys of color, has been reassigned to the court after a period of transfer. The allegations against Woods surfaced between 2018 and 2021, involving multiple female public defenders who claimed he exhibited a pattern of inappropriate behavior, including making sexualized comments and displaying a demeaning attitude.

The situation escalated following a formal complaint in 2021, which prompted Woods’ transfer to another courtroom, keeping the allegations largely out of the media. However, recent developments have led to at least one of the attorneys who filed the complaint appearing before him again. Diamond Ward, a public defender involved in the initial complaint, has challenged Woods’ ability to fairly oversee her case. The judge is expected to rule on this challenge shortly.

The complaints were formally expressed in declarations from three attorneys—Kathleen Natividad, Crystal Carpino, and Ward—who described instances of Woods making inappropriate remarks about their appearance and conduct in front of clients and district attorneys. Deputy Public Defender Elizabeth Camacho characterized Woods’ behavior as unethical, stating it creates a toxic environment that hinders their ability to effectively represent their clients.

Woods, who has been on the bench since 2013, was appointed by former Governor Jerry Brown after a tenure at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. His initial role involved overseeing the San Francisco Community Justice Center. However, in late 2021, amidst growing complaints from female public defenders, a formal complaint was submitted to the Commission on Judicial Performance by Matt Gonzalez, the chief attorney of the public defender’s office. This complaint noted Woods’ disrespectful treatment of litigants and his inappropriate conduct toward women attorneys in his courtroom.

Following the submission of this complaint, Woods was swiftly removed from the Hall of Justice and reassigned to the Civic Center Courthouse, which typically handles civil cases and misdemeanors. Observers noted that the involvement of the district attorney’s office in voicing similar concerns contributed to the relative silence surrounding the issue in media outlets.

As the case involving Ward unfolds, there are indications that Woods may dismiss her challenge, which claims bias and prejudice on his part. In her statement, Ward recounted a distressing encounter in which Woods publicly berated her for time management issues, leaving her humiliated in front of her client and colleagues.

Other public defenders have also experienced troubling interactions with Woods. For instance, Carpino described a scenario where Woods called her to the bench, made comments about her shoes, and later verbally attacked her while defending a prosecuto. Natividad echoed similar sentiments, recounting instances of Woods belittling her and other women of color in the courtroom, often in a manner that was off the record and unmonitored.

Despite repeated complaints and investigations initiated by the San Francisco Superior Court, it remains unclear what consequences Woods has faced beyond his transfer to a lower-stakes court. The Commission on Judicial Performance acknowledged receipt of the 2021 complaint but did not disclose whether an investigation was conducted, and those involved in the complaint have not been contacted.

As of now, the court has declined to comment on the matter, and Woods has not responded to inquiries, as judges are typically restricted from discussing ongoing cases with the media.

 

 

Source: Mission Local