Countywide : Judges Reassigned in Superior Court

Several Ventura County Superior Court judges will assume new responsibilities next month under reassignments announced Monday by Presiding Judge Steven Z. Perren.

Judge Richard D. Aldrich, who has handled civil trials for the past two years, will assume responsibility for civil case coordination, settlement conferences, case management and trial setting. Perren, who has handled those tasks for the past year, will move to Juvenile Court while continuing as presiding judge.

Judge Robert C. Bradley will move from Juvenile Court, where he has sat for two years, to family law. He will replace Judge William L. Peck, who will begin handling civil cases.

Judge Ken W. Riley, who joined the court last month, will assume the juvenile dependency calendar. Judge Melinda A. Johnson, who has handled those matters, will take on civil cases--most notably the trial of the massive Oxnard Dunes lawsuit expected to begin in the spring.

Perren said it is the first major reassignment in two years, and is intended to provide the judges with new learning experiences and a change of pace.