Award-Winning Architect of the Ground-Breaking Young Adult Court Announces Retirement After Serving as a Judicial Officer for 22 Years 

A former Court Commissioner, Judge Chan was Appointed to the Bench in 2009  

Judge Bruce Chan, the 2025 Aranda Access to Justice Award recipient for establishing the Young Adult Court (YAC) in San Francisco that has served as a national model, is retiring effective April 30.

“As a 4th generation San Franciscan, it has been my greatest privilege to serve as a judge on our Court,” Judge Chan said. “My grandmother was a citizen because she was born in 1898 in the city. She survived the 1906 earthquake and raised six children after being widowed at a young age. My father grew up in Chinatown during the Great Depression and became the first Chinese American to open an auto parts business. Their example and sacrifices allowed both myself and my brother to become lawyers.”

“Judge Chan has served this Court and San Franciscans with distinction,” Presiding Judge Rochelle C. East said. “He is well-known and honored for establishing an enduring and innovative model of justice that takes into account the neuroscience of the developing brain and the unique needs of young adults ages 18–25. His pioneering work in the YAC in San Francisco is recognized and replicated in other jurisdictions around the country. We are grateful to Judge Chan for this enthusiasm, judicial intellect, and commitment to making a lasting impact in jurisprudence. We wish him all the best in his retirement.”

Court Leadership/Enduring Achievement as Architect of YAC

After being elected by the judges of the San Francisco Superior Court to the position of Court Commissioner, Judge Chan heard law and motion matters relating to the Civil Discovery Act until his appointment to the bench in 2009.

From 2014 through 2015, Judge Chan was the Supervising Judge of the Criminal Division. Prior to his most recent assignment in an early resolution court, he served as a trial court judge and presided for 10 years over the YAC from its inception in 2015.

YAC assists 18- to 25-year-olds who have been arrested with educational, vocational, and other personal needs. YAC is an innovative program based on neuroscience that takes into account the developmental differences inherent in transitional-aged youth. In December 2025, Judge Chan received the Aranda Access to Justice Award from the Judicial Council of California for his work. YAC has been emulated nationwide.

Judge Chan also was a member of the task force that established a drug treatment court in San Francisco’s juvenile court. 

Four Decades of Public Service to Californians

In addition to his 22 years on the bench, Judge Chan was appointed as a trial attorney with the San Francisco Public Defender's Office, where he worked for 15 years. During his tenure with the Public Defender’s Office, he was certified as State Bar of California Certified Criminal Law Specialist.

He then transitioned to Sacramento where he served for four years as Chief Counsel to the Assembly Committee on Public Safety, which is responsible for analyzing proposed criminal justice legislation introduced in both the State Assembly and Senate.

Dedication to Community Engagement

Judge Chan is a founding member and past chairman of Asian American Recovery Services, formerly the largest provider of substance abuse services to Asian Pacific Americans in California. He also has served on the board of directors of the Chinatown Youth Center, Asian Law Caucus, Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area, and California Judges Association’s criminal law advisory committee.

Education and Early Career

Judge Chan graduated from Stanford University in 1978 and received his law degree in 1981 from the University of California at Davis. 

Prior to his long career in public service and on the bench, Judge Chan’s professional experience also included three years in private practice, specializing in insurance defense litigation.