Peter A. Krause, Associate Justice

Born in Santa Monica, California, to parents who emigrated from Germany in the 1960’s, Justice Krause graduated from Granada Hills High School in 1987 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1991 before attending Loyola Law School, where he served on the Law Review and received a Juris Doctor degree in 1996.

Justice Krause worked for more than seven years after law school as a litigation associate with the law firm of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton in Los Angeles. While at the firm, he worked on complex commercial litigation and appeals in the areas of labor and employment, antitrust, government contracts, land use, and health care.

Justice Krause left private practice and moved from Los Angeles to Sacramento to embark upon a career in public service, first as a staff attorney at the Judicial Council of California, then as a Deputy Attorney General and Supervising Deputy Attorney General with the California Department of Justice. During his time with the Justice Department, Justice Krause represented state officials, state agencies and departments in trial and appellate courts on matters involving the operation of state government and the authority of government officials.

In the years leading up to his appointment to the court, Justice Krause served as Legal Affairs Secretary to Governor Jerry Brown. In that position, he provided advice and counsel to the Governor and top administration officials on a myriad of issues, worked on legislation, and managed significant litigation involving the Governor and the administration.

Justice Krause was sworn into office on December 21, 2018, following his unanimous confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments. He lives in Sacramento and enjoys skiing, kayaking, and traveling.