Raymond A. Guadagni was raised in Napa, California. He graduated from the University of California-Berkeley in 1968 and from Hastings College of Law in 1971. He became Napa's first Superior Court commissioner in 1995 and was appointed Superior Court judge for the County of Napa in 2001. He retired in 2012 and now serves on the Assigned Judges Program of California. He is married with two adult daughters and five grandchildren. He enjoys writing, music, travel and spending time with his family.