Philip Steven Gutierrez (born October 13, 1959) is an American lawyer who is a former United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Early life and education

Gutierrez was born in Los Angeles. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1981 and a Juris Doctor from UCLA School of Law in 1984. Gutierrez was in private practice in California from 1986 to 1997. He is of Mexican American descent.

Judicial service

Gutierrez was a judge on the Los Angeles County Superior Court from 1997 to 2007. On January 9, 2007, Gutierrez was nominated by President George W. Bush tp serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. He was nominated to a seat vacated by Judge Terry J. Hatter Jr. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on January 30, 2007, and received his commission on February 16, 2007. He became chief judge on June 26, 2020, after Cormac J. Carney ended his short tenure as chief judge following controversy. Gutierrez's term as chief judge ended on March 30, 2024. He retired from active service on October 22, 2024.

Xbox modding case

Gutierrez heard the trial of Xbox modding defendant Matthew Crippen, a DMCA related case. Gutierrez criticized the prosecution after the federal government brought witnesses that illegally recorded Crippen and admitted to previously modifying Xbox consoles themselves. The government ultimately chose to dismiss the case, citing these issues with the witnesses presented in the early stages of the trial.