[1] On August 8, 2001, Governor Gray Davis appointed Davila to serve as a judge on the Superior Court of Santa Clara County.

[3][2] While a superior court judge, Davila presided over the high-profile case of a Las Vegas couple,[5] Anna Ayala and Jaime Placencia, who planted a severed human finger in a bowl of Wendy's chili.

[2] Davila presided over the criminal trial of former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes and COO Sunny Balwani.

[15][16] Holmes was found guilty on four counts on fraud in January 2022 and sentenced to 11.25 years (135 months) in prison on November 18, 2022,[17] while Balwani was convicted of 12 counts of fraud in July 2022 and sentenced to nearly 13 years (155 months) in prison on December 7, 2022.

[16] Davila is married to Mary Greenwood, who formerly served as Santa Clara County Public Defender and is presiding justice of the California Court of Appeal for the Sixth District.