The new judge, Richard Arnason, is taking over the high-profile case because it is being moved from Peterson's hometown of Modesto in California's Central Valley to San Mateo County south of San Francisco.

"He's a wonderful judge; he's knowledgeable, he's extremely courteous, he's got an excellent judicial temperament," said attorney Malcolm Sher, who has argued cases in his court. "And he's got years of experience."

Some call Arnason the "Iron Man," a reference to his tough but fair approach.

On Tuesday, Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Al Girolami ordered the case moved from Modesto to San Mateo County because of concerns the media publicity in the case had made it more difficult for Peterson to get a fair trial in his hometown.

Peterson is accused of murdering his pregnant wife Laci on Christmas Eve 2002 and dumping her body in the San Francisco Bay. He has said he had left his wife behind that day to go fishing off the Berkeley Marina and knew nothing about her disappearance.

When Arnason retired in 1995 after 31 years on the bench, he was the longest serving judge in California. He has continued to work as a judge on call from time to time and is currently working on a case in a nearby county.