Commission to Consider Appointments to Courts of Appeal

The Commission on Judicial Appointments will hold in-person hearings in San Francisco 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).

*Presiding Justice Rothschild will appear remotely for the 9:30 a.m. hearing for Judge Alexander Giza and the 10:30 a.m. hearing for Judge Cindy Pánuco.

Appointee Biographies
Judge 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 Comment
Requests 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.