Commission Confirms Three Appointments to Courts of Appeal

Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, chair of the Commission on Judicial Appointments, announced today that the commission confirmed three appointments to California's Courts of Appeal in Los Angeles, Riverside, and Fresno:

• Matthew Scherb, as associate justice of the Second Appellate District, Division Eight (Los Angeles)
• Judge Corey Lee, as associate justice of the Fourth Appellate District, Division Two (Riverside)
• Judge Arlan L. Harrell, as associate justice of the Fifth Appellate District (Fresno)

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 Arthur Gilbert (for the Second Appellate District); Presiding Justice Manuel Ramirez (for the Fourth Appellate District); and Administrative Presiding Justice Brad R. Hill (for the Fifth Appellate District).

Appointee Biographies

Matthew Scherb fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Associate Justice Elizabeth A. Grimes. He has been a chambers attorney at the Supreme Court of California since 2021. He served as a deputy city attorney in the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office from 2017 to 2021. Scherb was an appellate court attorney from 2011 to 2017. He was an associate at Winston & Strawn LLP from 2005 to 2011. Scherb served as a law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia from 2004 to 2005. Scherb received a Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University.

Judge Corey Lee fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Associate Justice Marsha G. Slough. She has served as a San Bernardino County Superior Court judge since 2015. She served as a deputy chief assistant United States attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office from 2008 to 2015. Lee was a deputy district attorney in the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office from 2007 to 2008. She served as a deputy district attorney in the Riverside County District Attorney's Office from 2004 to 2007. Lee served as a law clerk in the U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office of Immigration Review from 2003 to 2004. Lee received a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School.

Judge Arlan L. Harrell fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Associate Justice Charles S. Poochigian. He has served as a judge in the Fresno County Superior Court since 2006. He served as a court commissioner for the Fresno County Superior Court from 2003-2006. Harrell served as a deputy district attorney for the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office from 1994-2003. He was an associate at Lang, Richert & Patch from 1992 to 1994. Harrell received a Juris Doctor degree from University of California, Davis King Hall School of Law.