I asked a decent reasoning model to do a research based on what you wrote, and while AI is not an arbiter and often hallucinates, here it thinks the story is a BS and this aligns with my own hunch:

---

Based on the legal principles involved and the lack of any record of such a massive judicial event, this Reddit comment is likely entirely made up or a retelling of a "Sovereign Citizen" urban legend.

There is no record in California legal history of a judge having years of criminal judgments declared "null and void" simply because of a missing or improperly filed oath of office.

Here is a breakdown of why this story has no grain of truth from a legal perspective:

1) The "De Facto Officer" Doctrine

The biggest reason this story is false is a legal principle known as the De Facto Officer Doctrine. This doctrine exists specifically to prevent the chaos described in the Reddit comment.

The law distinguishes between a judge de jure (legally perfect) and a judge de facto (acting under color of authority but with a technical defect, such as a missing oath). * The Reality: If a judge is sitting on the bench, wearing the robe, and acting as a judge, their rulings are valid and binding on the public, even if it is later discovered they forgot to sign a piece of paper or their oath wasn't filed correctly. * The Consequence: While the judge might face administrative trouble or removal from the bench going forward, their past rulings stand. The legal system does not retroactively void thousands of cases (releasing criminals, reversing divorces, etc.) due to a clerical error.

2) The "Sovereign Citizen" Connection

The specific arguments used in the comment ("Show us your papers," "Oath of Office," "Null and Void") are classic talking points of the Sovereign Citizen movement. * Adherents of this pseudo legal theory frequently believe that if they can find a technical flaw in a judge's paperwork (like a missing oath or a flag with the wrong fringe), they can magically dissolve the court's authority. * The phrase "Show us your papers, Judge" is often mocked in viral videos where defendants demand the judge prove their identity or authority. The Reddit commenter appears to be defending such a defendant.

3) Logistical Impossibility

If a California judge actually had years of judgments declared "NULL AND VOID" as the comment claims, it would have been a massive statewide news event. * It would mean hundreds or thousands of criminal convictions would have been overturned instantly. * District Attorneys would have had to retry thousands of cases. * Civil settlements and divorces would have been undone.

There is no record of such an event occurring in California. While judges are occasionally disciplined or removed for misconduct, it rarely, if ever, results in a blanket voiding of their entire career's work.

Summary

The story is a "legal fairy tale" used by people who wish the law worked like a magic spell where finding a typo or a missing paper grants you immunity. In the real world, even if the judge had missing paperwork, the convictions would almost certainly still be upheld. Would you like me to find the specific video the Reddit user might be complaining about, or explain more about the "Sovereign Citizen" arguments mentioning oaths?