https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/ en https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/commission-consider-appointments-courts-appeal-14 Commission to Consider Appointments to Courts of AppealKaren.Datangel Mon, 09/28/2026 - 16:20 News Release The live webcast will begin on Oct. 9 at 9:30 a.m. The Commission on Judicial Appointments will hold remote hearings on Oct. 9 starting at 9:30 a.m. to consider three appointments by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The commission will consider the following appointments: 9:30 a.m.: Judge Alexander Giza, as associate justice of the Second Appellate District, Division Three (Los Angeles) 10:30 a.m.: Judge Cindy Pánuco, as associate justice of the Second Appellate District, Division Three (Los Angeles) 11:30 a.m.: Judge Maria Daghlian Hernandez, as associate justice of the Fourth Appellate District, Division Three (Santa Ana) The hearing webcasts will be streamed live on the California Courts Newsroom. The state Constitution specifies that a gubernatorial appointment to the Court of Appeal is effective when confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments.  The commission members who will consider the appointments are California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero (Chair); California Attorney General Rob Bonta; Presiding Justice Frances Rothschild (for the Second Appellate District hearings)*; and Presiding Justice Manuel Ramirez (for the Fourth Appellate District hearing). Appointee BiographiesJudge Alexander Giza would fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Anne H. Egerton, effective Oct. 11. He has served as a Los Angeles Superior Court judge since 2019. He previously worked as a partner and associate in private practice from 2001 to 2018. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. Judge Cindy Pánuco would fill the vacancy created by the elevation of Justice Rashida Adams to presiding justice. She has served as a Los Angeles Superior Court judge since 2024. She previously worked in private practice as of counsel from 2023 to 2024, as partner from 2016 to 2019, and as an associate from 2009 to 2016. She worked in multiple roles at the Los Angeles Public Counsel including as vice president and chief programs officer from 2020 to 2023 and directing attorney of the Consumer Rights and Economic Justice Project from 2018 to 2020. She received her Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School. Judge Maria Daghlian Hernandez would fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Maurice Sanchez, effective Oct. 2. She has served as an Orange Superior Court judge since 2009 and as an Orange Superior Court commissioner from 2006 to 2009. She previously served as a senior deputy public defender at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office from 1995 to 2006 and worked as an associate in private practice from 1992 to 1995. She received her Juris Doctor from Western State College of Law. Testimony and CommentRequests to testify or written comments on the appointment must be received by the commission no later than 5 p.m. on Oct. 2 (five court days prior to the hearing). Anyone wishing to testify before the commission must state that request in writing and include a summary of the facts on which any testimony or opinion will be based.   Submissions via email to coja@jud.ca.gov are strongly encouraged. Hard copies are not required.  If you would like to mail your request, you may also reach the commission at:  Commission on Judicial Appointments  c/o Chief Justice of California  Supreme Court of California  350 McAllister Street  San Francisco, California 94102  Attention: Secretary to the Commission   Guidelines for the Commission on Judicial Appointments are published in the appendix to the California Rules of Court and are posted on the California Courts website. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/court-legacy-project-preserves-history-bench Court Legacy Project Preserves History of the BenchKaren.Datangel Mon, 09/21/2026 - 09:54 Feature Prior to his service on the bench, Justice Lynn D. Compton was a well-known district attorney who successfully led the prosecution of Sirhan Sirhan for Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination; an accomplished police officer and detective in Los Angeles; a World War II soldier; and a collegiate baseball athlete who played with Jackie Robinson. Justice Compton’s career is just one of many histories recounted by justices in videos produced for the California Appellate Court Legacy Project. Preserving judicial history by going directly to the source is what the project is all about. Through in-depth recorded video interviews, state appellate court justices recount their childhoods, career pathways, public service experience, notable opinions, and other events that have helped shape their perspectives. Developed in 2006 as part of the previous year’s Centennial of the California Courts of Appeal commemoration, the project features more than 150 interviews posted on the California Appellate Court Legacy Project’s webpage. Justices Interview Other JusticesRetired justices are usually interviewed by a justice who currently serves in the retired justice’s former court. In addition to already-retired justices, active justices who may be nearing retirement may be selected to be interviewed. The California Appellate Court Legacy Project is a collaboration between the Judicial Council, the California Judicial Center Library, and active justices. Two sitting justices serve as co-chairs indefinitely to help steer the project. Currently, the California Appellate Court Legacy Project is co-chaired by Justice Martin Buchanan of the Fourth Appellate District, Division One and Justice Shama Mesiwala of the Third Appellate District. “The Legacy Project is a valuable historical archive with loads of fascinating insider insights into the appellate process and the life stories of California’s appellate justices,”  said Justice Buchanan. “We are honored to be a part of this history.”. “The videos are full of inspiring and uplifting interviews from our predecessors on the bench,” added Justice Mesiwala. A compilation video on the Legacy Project site features an introduction by Chief Justice Guerrero and snippets of Legacy Project interviews from trailblazers such as Justice Nathan Mihara, Justice Manuel Ramirez, Justice Elwood Lui, Justice Candace Cooper, and Justice Eileen Moore on topics including early life experiences, gender discrimination, diversity in the courts, and judicial philosophy.   Interviews Preserve Voices of Trailblazers in California Judicial HistoryThe project features trailblazers such as Justice Arleigh Maddox Woods of the Second Appellate District, who was the first female African American justice in the state Court of Appeal. She broke other barriers prior to her service in the appellate court, such as becoming the youngest woman at the time to be admitted to the state bar at the age of 22, the first Black woman senior partner in a law firm, and the first female supervising judge in the Los Angeles Superior Court, where she served from 1976 to 1980. “Part of the consequence of being first is simply the fact that other people hadn’t been given the opportunity,” Justice Woods said in her 2009 interview. “It’s more of a sense of responsibility than pride. You feel that you must excel to not embarrass anyone and to make it less difficult for the next person who comes along.  And so being given the opportunity to do that – and as far as I know, not having really fouled it up – gave me great pride, because I do feel that I opened some doors for other people.”   Latest Videos Include Recently Retired and Active JusticesPublished last week, the most recent interview for the project features retired Justice Sandra Margulies of the First Appellate District, Division One. Other recent interviews published in July 2026 include retired justices Justice William J. Bedsworth of the Fourth Appellate District; Justice Thomas M. Goethals of the Fourth Appellate District; Justice Nora M. Manella of the Second Appellate District; and Justice M. Bruce Smith of the Fifth Appellate District. These latest justices interviewed for the project also include Justice Harry E. Hull, Jr., who is currently serving in the Third Appellate District. In his interview with former California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye (Ret.), Justice Hull talks about his time as a military child that taught him adaptability, dating his high school sweetheart-turned-wife decades later, and authoring one of his favorite opinions about Pooky the Dog (in Auburn Woods I Homeowners Association v. Fair Employment and Housing Com.), setting precedent that “the innate qualities of a dog, in particular a dog’s friendliness and ability to interact with humans” make it therapeutic.   The California Appellate Court Legacy Project will continue to upload new video interviews as they are completed. Visit the California Appellate Court Legacy Project page on the California Courts website for more information, compilation videos, available video interviews and transcripts, and judicial profiles. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/justice-maurice-sanchez-retire-california-court-appeal-fourth-district-division-three Justice Maurice Sanchez to retire from the California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division ThreeMartin.Novitski Wed, 09/16/2026 - 16:13 News Release SANTA ANA–Associate Justice Maurice Sanchez of the California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division Three, will retire on October 2, 2026, after a remarkable and distinguished 45-year legal career. Justice Sanchez was the first Latino, the first person of color, and the first Orange County native to serve as a Justice on the Fourth District, Division Three in its 43-year history. Justice Sanchez was guided as a jurist by the beliefs that his duty was to interpret the law faithfully, promptly, and transparently; judges must remain independent, willing to make unpopular decisions, and be above reproach in their professional and personal conduct; and the law must be accessible to all and every person who appears before the court must be treated with dignity and respect. “As the first person of color appointed to the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three, Justice Sanchez served with distinction and spearheaded the court’s outreach efforts. His deep dedication to the law and the communities we serve has left an indelible mark. His legacy will endure through the profound impact of his opinions and the many lives inspired by his judicial career.”—Presiding Justice Joanne Motoike Justice Sanchez was born in Orange and raised in Santa Ana, California. His parents were immigrants from Mexico who spoke very little English yet worked tirelessly to provide a better life for their children. After graduating from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Justice Sanchez earned a B.A. in Social Ecology from the University of California, Irvine in 1978 and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law in 1981. Following law school, Justice Sanchez returned to Orange County to work as an associate at Rutan & Tucker. He later worked as senior counsel at Hyundai Motor America and managing counsel at Mazda Motor of America, named partner at Alvarado Smith & Sanchez, partner at Baker & Hostetler, and partner at Nelson Mullins. He established an expertise in automobile franchise law and represented many motor vehicle, motorsport, and heavy-equipment manufacturers in both litigation and transactional matters. Justice Sanchez reflected, “[t]hose years in private practice taught me that fairness, clarity, and balance are indispensable to justice.” Despite the demands of an active law practice, Justice Sanchez made time to handle pro bono cases and volunteer to serve abused children and students from families with limited resources. To that end, he served for 29 years on the board of directors of the Olive Crest Abused Children’s Foundation, including three years as its chair. His law practice and pro bono work taught Justice Sanchez a lesson that would prove most valuable as a jurist—“I represented the powerless and the powerful and I learned that behind every case lies a person whose life will be shaped by the court’s decision.” Governor Edmund G. Brown appointed Justice Sanchez to the Superior Court in 2018. He enjoyed his stint in the family law division and found it to be rewarding because there he dealt with matters which, though basic, were of the utmost importance to people in their daily lives. In 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Justice Sanchez to the Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division Three. He was rated as exceptionally well qualified by the Judicial Nominations Evaluation Commission.   One of Justice Sanchez’s most important accomplishments as an appellate justice was working with then-Presiding Justice Kathleen O’Leary to have the Santa Ana courthouse for the Fourth District, Division Three named after the late Justice Cruz Reynoso. In so honoring another Orange County native and the first Latino justice on the California Supreme Court, Justice Sanchez hoped to inspire Hispanic youth, and indeed all young people, to pursue the possibilities open to them.  In addition to his daily work deciding cases, Justice Sanchez served as Chair of the Judicial Council of California’s Court Interpreters Advisory Program, participated in the California Judicial Mentor Program, sat by assignment on the California Supreme Court, and acted as Presiding Special Master in a proceeding before the Commission on Judicial Performance. Justice Sanchez frequently has appeared as a panelist in judicial education and continuing legal education programs and has written a number of articles and papers on the law.  Throughout his career, Justice Sanchez has been active in the legal community. He has served as president of the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association and received its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 and Judicial Trailblazer Award in 2020. He also has been honored by receiving the Spotlight on Excellence Award from the Orange County Coalition for Diversity in the Law (2024), the Lauds and Laurels Award from the University of California, Irvine (2023), the Ring of Honor from Mater Dei High School (2023), and a resolution of appreciation from the California New Motor Vehicle Board (2019) highlighting his contributions to the State of California’s motor vehicle industry. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/commission-confirms-four-appointments-courts-appeal-2 Commission Confirms Four Appointments to Courts of Appeal natalie.l.ston… Thu, 08/20/2026 - 14:54 News Release Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, chair of the Commission on Judicial Appointments, announced today that the commission confirmed four appointments to California’s Courts of Appeal in Los Angeles, Santa Ana, and San Diego:  Justice Rashida Adams, as presiding justice of the Second Appellate District, Division Three (Los Angeles) Judge Juliet Macaulay, as associate justice of the Fourth Appellate District, Division Three (Santa Ana) Judge Lisa Rodriguez, as associate justice of the Fourth Appellate District, Division One (San Diego) Judge Marsha Amin, as associate justice of the Fourth Appellate District, Division One (San Diego) The appointees were confirmed by unanimous vote of the three-member commission, which includes: California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero (Chair); California Attorney General Rob Bonta; Presiding Justice Frances Rothschild (for the Second Appellate District hearing); and Presiding Justice Manuel Ramirez (for the Fourth Appellate District hearings). The confirmations of Justice Adams, Judge Macaulay, and Judge Rodriguez are subject to voter confirmation during the general election scheduled for Nov. 3, with terms beginning on Jan. 4, 2027, if voter confirmation is successful. You can learn more in the public documents available for this hearing.  Appointee Biographies Justice Rashida Adams fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Lee Edmon. She has served as an associate justice for the Second Appellate District, Division Three, since 2023 and previously served as a Los Angeles Superior Court judge from 2017 to 2023. Before joining the bench, she served as a senior appellate court attorney at the Second Appellate District, Division Eight from 2008 to 2017 and was in private practice as an attorney from 2005 to 2007 and from 2001 to 2005. She received her Juris Doctor from Yale Law School. Judge Juliet Macaulay fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Justice Joanne Motoike to presiding justice. She has served as an Orange County Superior Court judge since 2022. Before joining the bench, she served in various roles at the California Department of Social Services including as chief administrative law judge from 2020 to 2022; presiding administrative law judge from 2016 to 2020; and administrative law judge from 2012 to 2016. She served at the California Board of Parole Hearings as a commissioner in 2011 and a deputy commissioner from 2004 to 2011. She was in private practice as a sole practitioner from 1997 to 2004. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Ibadan. Judge Lisa Rodriguez fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Terry B. O’Rourke after he completes his term of office on Jan. 4, 2027. She has served as a San Diego Superior Court judge since 2015 and has worked as an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Law since 2014. Before serving on the bench, she served as a deputy district attorney at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office from 1998 to 2015 and as a deputy city attorney at the San Diego City Attorney’s Office from 1996 to 1998. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law. Judge Marsha Amin fills the vacancy created by the death of Justice Joan Irion. She has served as a San Diego Superior Court judge since 2023. Before joining the bench, she served at the Fourth Appellate District as managing attorney from 2018 to 2023 and as senior attorney from 2011 to 2018. She was a litigation attorney in private practice from 2006 to 2010. She served as a law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California from 2005 to 2006. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law.     View the full photo album on the California Courts Flickr. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/commission-confirms-four-appointments-courts-appeal-1 Commission Confirms Four Appointments to Courts of Appeal natalie.l.ston… Wed, 08/19/2026 - 11:57 News Release Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, chair of the Commission on Judicial Appointments, announced today that the commission confirmed four appointments to California’s Courts of Appeal in Sacramento, San Jose, and Ventura: David Sapp, as associate justice of the Third Appellate District (Sacramento) Judge Lauri Damrell, as associate justice of the Third Appellate District (Sacramento) Judge Frederick Chung, as associate justice of the Sixth Appellate District (San Jose) Judge Denise Hippach, as associate justice of the Second Appellate District, Division Six (Ventura) The appointees were confirmed by unanimous vote of the three-member commission, which includes: California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero (Chair); California Attorney General Rob Bonta; Administrative Presiding Justice Laurie M. Earl (for the Third Appellate District hearings); Administrative Presiding Justice Mary J. Greenwood (for the Sixth Appellate District hearing); and Presiding Justice Frances Rothschild (for the Second Appellate District hearing). The confirmations of Mr. Sapp, Judge Damrell, and Judge Chung are subject to voter confirmation during the general election scheduled for Nov. 3, with terms beginning on Jan. 4, 2027, if voter confirmation is successful. You can learn more in the public documents available for this hearing. Appointee Biographies David Sapp would fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Ronald Robie after he completes his term of office on Jan. 4, 2027. He has served in multiple roles at the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom including as the Governor’s legal affairs secretary since 2022, chief deputy legal affairs secretary from 2021 to 2022, and as a deputy legal affairs secretary from 2019 to 2021. He previously worked at the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Southern California as director of education advocacy from 2014 to 2016 and as staff attorney from 2009 to 2014. He served as a law clerk at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals from 2008 to 2009; worked as a Skadden fellow and staff attorney at the Advocates for Children’s Services, Legal Aid of North Carolina from 2006 to 2008; and served as a law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama from 2005 to 2006. He received his Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School.  Judge Lauri Damrell fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Elena J. Duarte. She has served as a Sacramento Superior Court judge since 2018 and has worked as an adjunct professor at Lincoln Law School since 2022 and as a visiting lecturer at the University of California, Davis since 2019. Before joining the bench, she was in private practice as partner from 2016 to 2018 and an associate from 2006 to 2016. She served as deputy district attorney at the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office in 2014 and as a law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California from 2005 to 2006. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Davis School of Law. Judge Frederick Chung would fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Adrienne Grover after she completes her term of office on Jan. 4, 2027. He has served as a Santa Clara Superior Court judge since 2018. Before joining the bench, he was in private practice as a partner from 2003 to 2018 and an associate from 1996 to 2003. He served as a law clerk in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit from 1995 to 1996. He received his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Judge Denise Hippach fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Justice Tari Cody to presiding justice. She has served as a Santa Barbara Superior Court judge since 2022. Before joining the bench, she served as a senior deputy county counsel at the Santa Barbara County Counsel’s Office from 2018 to 2022; a deputy attorney general at the Idaho Attorney General’s Office from 2015 to 2018; a deputy prosecuting attorney at the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office from 2016 to 2018; a panel attorney at the California Court of Appeal’s Court-Appointed Counsel Program from 2014 to 2018; a deputy county counsel at the Los Angeles County Counsel’s Office from 2008 to 2014; and a deputy district attorney at the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office from 2004 to 2006. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.   View the full photo album on the California Courts Flickr.  https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/photos-groundbreaking-ceremony-new-appellate-courthouse-sunnyvale Photos: Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Appellate Courthouse in SunnyvaleCorren, Blaine Tue, 08/18/2026 - 11:55 Feature SUNNYVALE—Justices and court staff from the Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District hosted a special groundbreaking ceremony on August 5 to officially celebrate the start of construction of a new courthouse in Sunnyvale. Attendees comprised California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, appellate court justices, superior court judges, attorneys, representatives from various local justice partners and legislative offices, and state and local officials. Upgraded Courthouse Will Improve Services to the Public The new courthouse will improve safety and security with visitor security screening and internal circulation that maintains separate zones for the public and justices and court staff. The new building will also provide more adequate space in the entrance and public waiting areas, service counter, clerk’s office, and mediation rooms. On-site parking will be available for court users, including justices, court staff, and the public. Building to Be Energy Efficient The building’s sustainability features are expected to satisfy the California Energy Code and qualify it for a LEED Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. This is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance “green” buildings. The courthouse’s sustainability features will include an all-electric building design, solar energy generation, electric vehicle chargers, drought-tolerant landscaping, efficient irrigation and plumbing systems, and energy-efficient lighting and building systems. Statewide Court Facilities Program The Judicial Council supports the court facilities of California's Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, and trial courts by providing a broad range of services. These include facility planning, design and construction, facility operations management, environmental compliance and sustainability, real estate services and asset management, and emergency planning and security coordination. Since the state judicial branch took over responsibility for courthouses in 2002, the judicial branch construction program has completed 39 new courthouse projects and another 14 projects are underway and in various stages. Learn more about the state’s courthouse construction projects https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/memoriam-justice-marsha-slough In Memoriam: Justice Marsha SloughBalassone, Merrill Mon, 08/10/2026 - 15:15 News Release Justice Marsha G. Slough, who served on California's Fourth District Court of Appeal and was a two-decade veteran of the state judiciary, died on Saturday following an illness. She was 68. Justice Slough served nearly a decade on the Judicial Council, where she helped lead the branch through the COVID-19 pandemic and helped shape critical branch initiatives, including court technology and pretrial reform. Said California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero: "Justice Slough leaves behind a legacy defined by integrity, intellect, and an unwavering devotion to the fair administration of justice. Throughout her career, she brought not only sharp legal judgment but also genuine humanity to her work, qualities that earned her the deep respect of colleagues across the judiciary. Her contributions to the courts will be felt for many years to come.” Justice Slough was appointed to the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Two (Riverside) by Governor Jerry Brown in 2015. She made history as the first openly gay justice on that court. Over her tenure on the Fourth District, Justice Slough authored 454 opinions, including 55 published opinions. Before her elevation to the appellate bench, Justice Slough spent more than a decade on the San Bernardino Superior Court, to which she was appointed by Governor Gray Davis in 2003. She went on to serve as presiding judge of the county's juvenile court from 2007 to 2010, and as presiding judge of the entire San Bernardino court from 2012 to 2015. During her time on the Judicial Council, Justice Slough chaired its Executive and Planning Committee and played a key role in drafting emergency court rules during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those emergency rules helped curb the spread of COVID-19 in California jails, reduced evictions and foreclosures, and encouraged the use of remote technology to maintain access to the courts. Justice Slough led a statewide Workgroup on Post-Pandemic Initiatives that examined and promoted innovative practices employed by courts during the pandemic. She also chaired the judicial branch’s Pretrial Reform and Operations Workgroup, which launched pretrial pilots that have since grown to include programs in all 58 counties. “Justice Marsha Slough’s qualities of empathy, intellect, decisiveness, and kindness were apparent to everyone who had the privilege to know and work with her,” said Judicial Council Administrative Director Shelley Curran. “Her public service as a jurist as well as her leadership contributions as a long-serving member of the Judicial Council were rooted in her respect for the humanity of all seeking justice through our court system. Her loss is deeply felt by her friends and colleagues across the branch.” Said former California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye, under whom Slough served for much of her Judicial Council tenure: “From presiding judge to justice, Justice Marsha Slough combined astute policies with compassionate leadership. She was instrumental in leading and building the most critical, sensitive, and impactful policies of the Judicial Council. In all of her responsibilities, and they were myriad, she brought her analytical brilliance and collaborative nature. Justice Slough worked tirelessly to improve justice in California, and she wildly succeeded in that endeavor.” Justice Slough retired from the Fourth District Court of Appeal in 2023, reflecting at the time that "the past 20 years has afforded me the unique privilege of observing firsthand the importance of the rule of law and the true value in a commitment to justice for all." Justice Slough is survived by her spouse, Jill Sibler. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/commission-consider-appointments-courts-appeal-12 Commission to Consider Appointments to Courts of AppealKaren.Datangel Mon, 08/10/2026 - 15:11 News Release The live webcasts will begin on Aug. 19 at 1 p.m. and Aug. 20 at 9:30 a.m. Public documents for the Aug. 19 hearing and Aug. 20 hearing are available for viewing. The Commission on Judicial Appointments will hold in-person hearings in San Francisco on Aug. 19 starting at 1 p.m. and on Aug. 20 starting at 9:30 a.m. to consider eight appointments by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The commission will consider the following appointments on Aug. 19: 1 p.m.: David Sapp, as associate justice of the Third Appellate District (Sacramento) 2 p.m.: Judge Lauri Damrell, as associate justice of the Third Appellate District (Sacramento) 3 p.m.: Judge Frederick Chung, as associate justice of the Sixth Appellate District (San Jose) 4 p.m.: Judge Denise Hippach, as associate justice of the Second Appellate District, Division Six (Ventura) The commission will consider the following appointments on Aug. 20: 9:30 a.m.: Justice Rashida Adams, as presiding justice of the Second Appellate District, Division Three (Los Angeles) 10:30 a.m.: Judge Juliet Macaulay, as associate justice of the Fourth Appellate District, Division Three (Santa Ana) 11:30 a.m.: Judge Lisa Rodriguez, as associate justice of the Fourth Appellate District, Division One (San Diego) 12:30 p.m.: Judge Marsha Amin, as associate justice of the Fourth Appellate District, Division One (San Diego) The hearing webcasts will be streamed live on the California Courts Newsroom. The state Constitution specifies that a gubernatorial appointment to the Court of Appeal is effective when confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments.  The pending confirmations of Mr. Sapp, Judge Damrell, Judge Chung, Justice Adams, Judge Macaulay, and Judge Rodriguez are subject to voter confirmation during the general election scheduled for Nov. 3, with terms beginning on Jan. 4, 2027, if voter confirmation is successful. The commission members who will consider the appointments are California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero (Chair); California Attorney General Rob Bonta; Administrative Presiding Justice Laurie M. Earl (for the Third Appellate District hearings); Administrative Presiding Justice Mary J. Greenwood (for the Sixth Appellate District hearing); Presiding Justice Frances Rothschild (for the Second Appellate District hearings); and Presiding Justice Manuel Ramirez (for the Fourth Appellate District hearings). Appointee BiographiesDavid Sapp would fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Ronald Robie after he completes his term of office on Jan. 4, 2027. He has served in multiple roles at the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom including as the Governor’s legal affairs secretary since 2022, chief deputy legal affairs secretary from 2021 to 2022, and as a deputy legal affairs secretary from 2019 to 2021. He previously worked at the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Southern California as director of education advocacy from 2014 to 2016 and as staff attorney from 2009 to 2014. He served as a law clerk at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals from 2008 to 2009; worked as a Skadden fellow and staff attorney at the Advocates for Children’s Services, Legal Aid of North Carolina from 2006 to 2008; and served as a law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama from 2005 to 2006. He received his Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School.  Judge Lauri Damrell would fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Elena J. Duarte. She has served as a Sacramento Superior Court judge since 2018 and has worked as an adjunct professor at Lincoln Law School since 2022 and as a visiting lecturer at the University of California, Davis since 2019. Before joining the bench, she was in private practice as partner from 2016 to 2018 and an associate from 2006 to 2016. She served as deputy district attorney at the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office in 2014 and as a law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California from 2005 to 2006. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Davis School of Law. Judge Frederick Chung would fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Adrienne Grover after she completes her term of office on Jan. 4, 2027. He has served as a Santa Clara Superior Court judge since 2018. Before joining the bench, he was in private practice as a partner from 2003 to 2018 and an associate from 1996 to 2003. He served as a law clerk in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit from 1995 to 1996. He received his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Judge Denise Hippach would fill the vacancy created by the elevation of Justice Tari Cody to presiding justice. She has served as a Santa Barbara Superior Court judge since 2022. Before joining the bench, she served as a senior deputy county counsel at the Santa Barbara County Counsel’s Office from 2018 to 2022; a deputy attorney general at the Idaho Attorney General’s Office from 2015 to 2018; deputy prosecuting attorney at the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office from 2016 to 2018; a panel attorney at the California Court of Appeal’s Court-Appointed Counsel Program from 2014 to 2018; a deputy county counsel at the Los Angeles County Counsel’s Office from 2008 to 2014; and a deputy district attorney at the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office from 2004 to 2006. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. Justice Rashida Adams would fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Lee Edmon. She has served as an associate justice for the Second Appellate District, Division Three, since 2023 and previously served as a Los Angeles Superior Court judge from 2017 to 2023. Before joining the bench, she served as a senior appellate court attorney at the Second Appellate District, Division Eight from 2008 to 2017 and was in private practice as an attorney from 2005 to 2007 and from 2001 to 2005. She received her Juris Doctor from Yale Law School. Judge Juliet Macaulay would fill the vacancy created by the elevation of Justice Joanne Motoike to presiding justice. She has served as an Orange County Superior Court judge since 2022. Before joining the bench, she served in various roles at the California Department of Social Services including as chief administrative law judge from 2020 to 2022; presiding administrative law judge from 2016 to 2020; and administrative law judge from 2012 to 2016. She served at the California Board of Parole Hearings as a commissioner in 2011 and a deputy commissioner from 2004 to 2011. She was in private practice as a sole practitioner from 1997 to 2004. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Ibadan. Judge Lisa Rodriguez would fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Terry B. O’Rourke after he completes his term of office on Jan. 4, 2027. She has served as a San Diego Superior Court judge since 2015 and has worked as an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Law since 2014. Before serving on the bench, she served as a deputy district attorney at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office from 1998 to 2015 and as a deputy city attorney at the San Diego City Attorney’s Office from 1996 to 1998. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law. Judge Marsha Amin would fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Joan Irion. She has served as a San Diego Superior Court judge since 2023. Before joining the bench, she served at the Fourth Appellate District as managing attorney from 2018 to 2023 and as senior attorney from 2011 to 2018. She was a litigation attorney in private practice from 2006 to 2010. She served as a law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California from 2005 to 2006. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law. Testimony and CommentRequests to testify or written comments on the appointment must be received by the commission no later than 5 p.m. on Aug. 17 for the Aug. 19 hearings and Aug. 18 for the Aug. 20 hearings. Anyone wishing to testify before the commission must state that request in writing and include a summary of the facts on which any testimony or opinion will be based.   Submissions via email to coja@jud.ca.gov are strongly encouraged. Hard copies are not required.  If you would like to mail your request, you may also reach the commission at:  Commission on Judicial Appointments  c/o Chief Justice of California   Supreme Court of California   350 McAllister Street   San Francisco, California 94102   Attention: Secretary to the Commission   Guidelines for the Commission on Judicial Appointments are published in the appendix to the California Rules of Court and are posted on the California Courts website. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/commission-confirms-four-appointments-courts-appeal Commission Confirms Four Appointments to Courts of Appeal natalie.l.ston… Thu, 08/06/2026 - 10:42 News Release Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, chair of the Commission on Judicial Appointments, announced today that the commission confirmed four appointments to California’s Courts of Appeal in Ventura, Los Angeles, Fresno, and San Jose:  Justice Tari Cody, as presiding justice of the Second Appellate District, Division Six (Ventura) Judge Nicholas Daum, as associate justice of the Second Appellate District, Division Four (Los Angeles) Judge Sonny S. Sandhu, as associate justice of the Fifth Appellate District (Fresno) Judge Charles Adams, as associate justice of the Sixth Appellate District (San Jose)  The appointees were confirmed by unanimous vote of the three-member commission, which includes: California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero (Chair); California Attorney General Rob Bonta; Administrative Presiding Justice Elwood Lui (for the Second Appellate District hearings); Administrative Presiding Justice Brad R. Hill (for the Fifth Appellate District hearing); and Administrative Presiding Justice Mary J. Greenwood (for the Sixth Appellate District hearing). You can learn more in the public documents available for this hearing. Appointee Biographies Justice Tari Cody fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Arthur Gilbert. She has served as an associate justice for the Second Appellate District, Division Six, since 2023. She joined the bench in 2000, serving as a Ventura Superior Court judge until her appointment to the Court of Appeal in 2023. Before joining the bench, she was an associate and partner in private practice from 1985 to 2000. She received her Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School.  Judge Nicholas Daum fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Audrey B. Collins. He has served as a Los Angeles Superior Court judge since 2022. Before joining the bench, he was an associate and partner in private practice from 2004 to 2022. He received his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.  Judge Sonny S. Sandhu fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Rosendo Peňa, Jr. He has served as a Stanislaus Superior Court judge since 2018, and as presiding judge for the last year. Before joining the bench, he worked in the Stanislaus County Public Defender’s Office, including as the public defender from 2017 to 2018, as chief deputy public defender from 2015 to 2017, and as deputy public defender from 2003 to 2015. He received his Juris Doctor from The Ohio State University College of Law.  Judge Charles Adams fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Patricia Bamattre-Manoukian. He has served as a Santa Clara Superior Court judge since 2018. Before joining the bench, he served as an administrative law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California from 2011 to 2018. He was a staff attorney and legal research attorney at the Santa Clara Superior Court from 2006 to 2011. Adams was also an associate in private practice from 2003 to 2006. He received his Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law.    View the full photo album on the California Court's Flickr. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/judges-sixth-district-courts-convene-power-democracy-workshop Judges From Sixth District Courts Convene for Power of Democracy WorkshopMartin.Novitski Tue, 08/04/2026 - 09:23 Feature SAN JOSE — Judges and court executives from across the Sixth Appellate District met on July 22 for an outreach workshop organized by Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero’s Power of Democracy Civic Learning Initiative (POD). The regional convening brought together representatives from the Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz superior courts alongside Sixth Appellate District justices. The workshop was devoted to back-to-school regional planning, capacity building, and sharing strategies for engaging K-12 educators and students. Similar workshops of this kind have been held for courts in the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Appellate Districts.  Civics Builds Confidence in the Judiciary Sixth Appellate District Administrative Presiding Justice Mary Greenwood opened the workshop reminding participants of the stakes at hand, that to sustain public trust in the judiciary, and that one of the duties of being a judge is public education.  "As judges, we play a role in developing local education programs and finding an active part of life in the community to increase public understanding of political intelligence," Greenwood said. "That is part of our job." Her remarks aligned with California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero’s vision for the branch, and commitment to outreach. Soon after her 2023 appointment, Chief Justice Guerrero named workshop co-host Santa Clara County Judge Julia Alloggiamento to help lead her civic learning and outreach effort alongside Administrative Presiding Justice Judith McConnell of the Fourth Appellate District — a longtime fixture of judicial outreach and civics work. Programs Already in Motion Serve as Models The workshop doubled as a showcase for programs already succeeding across the region. Starting with court-hosted programs, Santa Clara County Presiding Judge Julia Emede pointed to the success of established initiatives like Color of Justice, a mentoring program, and the Young Women's Power Lunch, which drew more than 90 attendees this year. Both court programs began as small pilots. Santa Cruz County Assistant Presiding Judge Erika Ziegenhorn credited "Cookie Court" for giving local 5th graders the unique opportunity to visit the courthouse. Others in attendance reflected positively on their use of similar scripted mock trials that allow students to take on roles like prosecutors, defense attorneys, court clerks, and bailiffs.  Kristina Ravo, a longtime education partner attending as an ally of the initiative, gave a presentation on trends in civic learning. She suggested several tips for courts to connect students and told judges they had a strength others can’t bring to a classroom: impartiality.  "Students can form their own opinions about things, which is what we want," she said. "We want to empower them to come up with their own thoughts and learn how the system and the law can support them. They can see themselves in places that they maybe wouldn't have seen before." The Rural Access Gap After reflecting on efforts to travel to classrooms, mainly through the Judges in the Classroom program, judges from counties with large rural populations raised the challenges they face reaching schools that don't respond to their outreach efforts. "Distance, we can overcome that. We need to get the attention from teachers. We are saying, we’re here to help you. Let us show up with our robes and talk to your students about civics," said Monterey County Presiding Judge Rafael Vazquez, whose county is nearly 97% rural.  San Benito County Presiding Judge Omar Rodriguez — one of only two judges on that bench — described similar challenges reaching unincorporated communities located up to an hour from the courthouse. He reminded the group that while these communities may be small, and their students are often the hardest to reach, it is important to renew the commitment to reaching them in the new school year. A Challenge for Constitution Month The workshop closed with a call to action ahead of Constitution Month in September. With 2026 marking the nation's 250th anniversary, Justice Greenwood and Judge Alloggiamento introduced the Power of Democracy's 250-Student Challenge, inviting judges and courts across the district to pledge classroom visits, courtroom visits, or both — reaching 250 students each before the end of the year. This is the fifth consecutive year the California courts prepare to celebrate Constitution Day, September 17, the full month. The expanded commemoration began during the pandemic in response to teachers reporting the closure of many of their civic learning programs when they moved to remote instruction.  This year, Power of Democracy leads anticipate continued expansion into counties participating for the first time.  “As judges, we all face the challenge of keeping up with large caseloads. But with enough advanced preparation, we all can find an hour to visit a classroom,” Judge Alloggiamento said in closing. "Start small, identify your audience, then build from there. We hope you go back to your colleagues and share what you’ve learned and that you feel prepared for the new school year.”  Schools interested in connecting with their local court for the new school year, visit powerofdemocracy.org.