The Hon. Jose Omar Rodriguez is a judge for the Superior Court of San Benito County in California. He was elected to the bench on November 6, 2018, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Harry J. Tobias.
Rodriguez earned a B.A. in legal studies from the University of California, Berkeley in 2003. He then continued his studies, completing a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2007.
After graduating from law school, Rodriguez joined the Office of the District Attorney of San Benito County as a deputy district attorney. During his four-year tenure there, he handled all juvenile cases throughout the county.
He left the public sector in 2012. He accepted a position as an associate with the Law Offices of Vincent Hurley, where he handled civil rights, personal injury, and government and business matters for local governmental entities and businesses.
Then, in 2014, he became assistant county counsel for the County of Santa Cruz. In this position, he was tasked with advising public agencies on legal matters as well as monitoring the use of natural resources.
Rodriguez was born and raised in Hollister, California. As the son of Mexican-American farm workers, he was the first in his family to pursue higher education.