Commission to Consider Appellate Court Appointments

The live webcast will begin at 2 p.m. on Nov. 25 here.

Read the full news release here.

LOS ANGELES —The Commission on Judicial Appointments will hold public hearings on Monday, Nov. 25 starting at 2 p.m. to consider three appellate court appointments by Gov. Gavin Newsom. 

The commission will consider the following appointments during hearings held in the courtroom at the Ronald Reagan State Building, located on the third floor of 300 S. Spring Street in Los Angeles: 

• Justice Brian M. Hoffstadt as presiding justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Five 

• Judge Michelle C. Kim as associate justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division One 

• Judge Anne K. Richardson as associate justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Two 

The hearing will be webcast 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 appointment are California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero (Chair); California Attorney General Rob Bonta (appearing remotely); and Presiding Justice Arthur Gilbert. 

Appointee Biographies 
 
Justice Brian M. Hoffstadt would fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Presiding Justice Laurence D. Rubin. He has served as an Associate Justice at the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Two since 2014. Justice Hoffstadt served as a judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court from 2010 to 2014. He was a partner at Jones Day from 2007 to 2010 and served as an assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California from 2000 to 2007. Justice Hoffstadt served as senior counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Policy Development from 1998 to 2000, and at the Federal Communications Commission, Office of General Counsel from 1997 to 1998. He served as a law clerk for the Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor at the U.S. Supreme Court from 1996 to 1997 and for the Honorable Cynthia H. Hall at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit from 1995 to 1996. Justice Hoffstadt earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. 

Judge Michelle C. Kim would fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Victoria D. Chaney. She has served as a judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2018. Judge Kim served as a deputy alternate public defender at the Los Angeles County Alternate Public Defender’s Office from 2005 to 2018 and as a deputy public defender in the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office from 2003 to 2005. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. 

Judge Anne C. Richardson would fill the vacancy that will be created by Justice Brian M. Hoffstadt’s appointment as Presiding Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Five. She has served as a judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2018. Judge Richardson was a directing attorney at Public Counsel from 2014 to 2018. She was a partner at Hadsell, Stormer, Richardson and Renick LLP from 1998 to 2014 and was an associate there from 1993 to 1998. Judge Richardson was a public interest fellow at Litt and Stormer from 1990 to 1992 and served as a law clerk for the Honorable Mariana R. Pfaelzer at the U.S. District Court, Central District of California from 1989 to 1990. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School. 

Testimony and Comment 

Requests to testify or written comments on the appointment must be received by the commission no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 18 (five court days prior to 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.