Guillermo “Gil” Cabrera, a private practice attorney who has served on several prominent boards and commissions in San Diego and once ran for city attorney, has been appointed as the newest federal magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
Cabrera was sworn into office April 1 by Chief Judge Cynthia Bashant to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Crawford.
Magistrate judges are appointed by district judges and serve eight-year terms, while district judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate for life terms. Magistrate judges have the authority to issue warrants and conduct many preliminary and procedural hearings in criminal cases, such as initial appearances, arraignments and guilty pleas. They also handle pretrial motions and hearings in civil and criminal cases, and can preside over civil trials. They do not preside over felony criminal trials.
Cabrera began his legal career in 1997, working for several different firms, then founded the Cabrera Firm in 2007. His private practice, which he ran until his recent appointment to the bench, focused on business and employment disputes, as well as securities litigation, political law and providing outside general counsel services.
During his time as a litigator, Cabrera regularly appeared in San Diego federal court, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and other federal courts across the country, according to a statement from the district court.
Cabrera also previously served as an appointed pro-tem judge in San Diego Superior Court, hearing traffic and small-claims cases.
Outside of his legal career, Cabrera has been involved in politics, served on several major boards in the region and been appointed to various city commissions.
In 2016, he ran for San Diego city attorney but finished fourth out of five candidates in the primary election. In 2021, he established a nonprofit to support Mayor Todd Gloria’s favored causes.
Cabrera has also served on the boards of the San Diego Convention Center, Sharp HealthCare, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority and Alliance for Hope, among others. He was also appointed to and served on the city’s Ethics Commission and the San Diego Police Department’s Use of Force Task Force.
Cabrera is one of 14 magistrate judges serving in the Southern District of California, which covers San Diego and Imperial counties. The district court recently announced it is looking to appoint an additional magistrate judge later this year upon the expected retirement of Magistrate Judge Michael Berg in November.