4 more election profiles: Chung, Sandhu, L.Rodriguez, Macaulay

The DJ continues its series of appellate justice profiles before the Nov. 3 election:

Chung brings trial court record to 6th District election -- Santa Clara County Judge Frederick S. Chung seeks a 12-year appellate term after rulings involving a mass shooting, religious accommodations and statutory interpretation.

Before taking the bench, Chung was an intellectual property litigator, representing clients such as Fitbit, T-Mobile and AT&T. He worked at Morrison & Foerster LLP and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, spending his final year largely advising Facebook on data privacy. He handled 70 to 80 pro bono cases.

New 5th District Justice Sandhu built treatment courts, school outreach -- Justice Sonny S. Sandhu, a former Stanislaus County public defender and presiding judge, joined the 5th District Court of Appeal in August and is on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Before Gov. Jerry Brown appointed him to the bench in October 2018, Sandhu spent 15 years in the Stanislaus County public defender's office, rising to Public Defender. He helped establish the county's Veterans Treatment Court, and the office added social workers .... On the Superior Court, Sandhu handled criminal and civil matters and became presiding judge in January 2025. He worked with the court's self-help center, the county law library and the county bar association to expand resources for civil litigants representing themselves.

Rodriguez's path to 4th District spans prosecution and rehabilitation courts -- San Diego County Superior Court Judge Lisa R. Rodriguez, confirmed in August to the 4th District Court of Appeal, Division 1, would take her seat Jan. 4 if voters approve.

A graduate of the University of San Diego School of Law, Rodriguez teaches its Evidence Advocacy Lab as an adjunct professor. Before taking the bench, she spent two years as a San Diego deputy city attorney and 17 years in the district attorney's office, where she became chief of its collaborative courts division.

Macaulay's jury selection ruling tested California's jury strike law -- Justice Juliet O. Macaulay is seeking a 12-year term on the 4th District division that reviewed her jury selection ruling under California's law against discriminatory jury strikes in a published opinion.

Born in Nigeria, Macaulay earned her law degree from the University of Ibadan and practiced civil and corporate law before immigrating with her family to the United States through the diversity visa lottery in 1995. After passing the California bar in 1997, she opened a solo practice handling civil, family, immigration and criminal cases.

Quartet of Election Profiles: Guerra, Adams, Servino, Daum

The DJ's latest batch of appellate justice election profiles:

From restaurant critic to appellate justice, Guerra values people's stories -- Justice Amy K. Guerra, a former defense attorney and family law judge, seeks retention on the 5th District after writing two published opinions, one already followed by another appellate court.

Guerra graduated from San Joaquin College of Law. She defended homicide cases at Fresno County's Alternate Defense Office, becoming chief defense attorney in 2014. Gov. Jerry Brown appointed her in 2018 to the Fresno County Superior Court, where she handled family law, felony domestic violence and trials, and supervised collaborative courts.

Adams brings a habit of listening and explaining to 6th District -- A former family law research attorney and federal law clerk, Justice Charles F. Adams presided over CARE Court before joining the appellate bench in August.

After graduating from Pepperdine University School of Law, Adams practiced family law before becoming a Santa Clara County Superior Court research attorney in 2006. He later spent seven years clerking for U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila.

Justice seeking retention called a judicial 'Swiss-Army knife' -- Justice Deborah C. Servino, a former deputy attorney general who argued before the U.S. Supreme Court and conducted more than 180 civil trials, seeks retention on the 4th District.

Before joining the bench, Justice Deborah C. Servino argued a Miranda case before the U.S. Supreme Court and won a 5-4 ruling for California.
... Her appellate career began after graduating from UC Berkeley School of Law, when she clerked for 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Melvin T. Brunetti. After a year at Rutan & Tucker LLP, she joined the California attorney general's office to handle criminal appeals. ... Servino was lead counsel in more than 150 California Court of Appeal cases and argued before the California Supreme Court.

Daum brings a historian's eye and a litigator's range to the 2nd District -- Justice Nicholas F. Daum, a former entertainment litigator and trial judge, seeks retention on the 2nd District after writing rulings addressing the constitutional rights, employment disputes, arbitration and housing law.

Before the bench, Daum spent nearly two decades as a civil litigator. After graduating from Yale Law School, he clerked for 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Raymond C. Fisher, whom he called "a mentor and idol." He spent 13 years at Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP, where he became a partner and helped lead the entertainment and media practice and did pro bono voting rights work. ... Off the bench, Daum chairs the board of the Western Justice Center, "an organization that promotes effective and peaceful conflict resolution techniques in schools throughout LA County," he wrote.

Next triad of election profiles: Castillo, Rubin, Harrell

The DJ's next tranche of appellate election profiles:

Former Marine and federal prosecutor seeks four-year term on 4th District -- Justice Jose S. Castillo, a former Marine and federal prosecutor, has written on sports instructor liability, Privette, whistleblowers and restraining orders since joining the 4th District Court of Appeal in 2023.

Rubin upholds murder conviction after victim's family ends life support -- Justice David M. Rubin, a prosecutor for two decades and a San Diego trial judge for 16 years, joined the 4th District Court of Appeal in 2023.

After 200 trials, Harrell weighs evidence from appellate bench -- Former Fresno presiding judge Arlan Harrell brings experience from more than 200 trials to the 5th District Court of Appeal, where his first published opinion addressed disputed breath-test evidence.

The DJ also has California Supreme Court names 2 judges to ethics panel -- Judges Michael B. Harper and Patricia L. Kelly will join the 12-member committee, while appellate Justice Shama Hakim Mesiwala was reappointed to another four-year term on the Committee on Judicial Ethics Opinions.

More election profiles: Do, Kelety, DeSantos

Monday's DJ has three more election profiles:

Do's warning in impaired-driving murder case shapes later ruling -- Justice Truc Do's concurrence in an impaired-driving murder case influenced a later appellate ruling. The former homicide prosecutor and judge seeks a 12-year term on the 4th District Court of Appeal.

Kelety's criminal rulings demand proof beyond defendants' violent pasts -- Justice Julia C. Kelety, a former probate judge seeking retention Nov. 3, has questioned evidence and jury instructions in murder, attempted murder and sexual abuse cases.

From Kings County farm fields to the 5th District bench -- Justice Thomas DeSantos, a former Kings County lawyer and judge, draws on decades of courtroom experience in appellate rulings involving farm labor, whistleblower protections and medical staffing as he seeks retention.

election profile trio: Dato, Meehan, Lee

Today's trio of DJ election profiles:

Dato warned lawyers against courtroom fights and stretching facts -- Justice William S. Dato, who has worked at every level of California's courts, brings an appellate specialist's approach to judging. The 4th District justice seeks a 12-year term Nov. 3.

Meehan's reasoning finds its way into high court rulings, state law -- Justice Kathleen Meehan's opinions on plea agreements and transgender privacy influenced California Supreme Court decisions and legislation. The Fresno native, on the 5th District since 2017, faces voters Nov. 3.

Supreme Court ruling bolsters new justice's earlier dissents -- Justice Corey G. Lee seeks retention after less than a year on the 4th District. Two earlier dissents she wrote gained support from a subsequent California Supreme Court ruling.

3 more election profiles: Scherb, Snauffer, Gooding

The DJ next features:

New appellate justice's DoorDash ruling divides 2nd District panel -- Justice Matthew A. Scherb, appointed to the 2nd District less than a year ago, wrote a divided DoorDash arbitration ruling and opinions on partnership liability and sentencing before facing voters Nov. 3.

Before joining the court, Scherb practiced copyright and trademark litigation at Winston & Strawn LLP in San Francisco. He was an appellate attorney to 1st District Justice Kathleen M. Banke from 2011 to 2017, then in the Los Angeles City Attorney's civil appeals section until 2021, volunteering at Public Counsel's Appellate Clinic for Self-Represented Litigants. He was a chambers attorney to state Supreme Court Justice Martin J. Jenkins from 2021 until his appointment. Banke told the appointments commission they sometimes started down one road until Scherb suggested a rethink. "Usually I agreed, and we'd switch gears," she said. A Yale computer science graduate, Scherb earned his law degree from Northwestern University School of Law. At his confirmation hearing, Scherb said: "It's not our role at the court to act on our policy preferences. Our role is to act on the law as written by the Legislature and as interpreted by the California Supreme Court, the United States Supreme Court."Supreme Court weighs Snauffer's ruling on Kern River water rights -- Justice Mark W. Snauffer's Kern River ruling is before the California Supreme Court. The 5th District justice also upheld a voter-approved Fresno tax and seeks retention Nov. 3.

Supreme Court weighs Snauffer's ruling on Kern River water rights -- Justice Mark W. Snauffer's Kern River ruling is before the California Supreme Court. The 5th District justice also upheld a voter-approved Fresno tax and seeks retention Nov. 3.

Gooding: Seriousness of old crime can't block rehabilitation certificate -- Justice Martha K. Gooding, a former senior litigator, has ruled on rehabilitation, speedy trials and trade secrets. The state Supreme Court reversed one decision. She faces voters Nov. 3.

Original Jurisdiction has ‘Lawyer’ Vs. ‘Attorney’: Is This A Thing? in which David Lat combed through decades-old dictionaries and case law—and interviewed Bryan Garner, the longtime editor of Black's Law Dictionary—to find out.

And 3 more election profiles: Danner, Raphael, Boulware Eurie

The DJ parade of election profiles of appellate justices continues:

Danner's opinions shape high court decisions as she trains new justices -- Justice Allison Danner, who trains new appellate justices, and whose rulings the state Supreme Court has drawn on or upheld in cases on police searches, murder resentencing and pension bonds. She seeks retention Nov. 3.

Supreme Court sided with Justice Raphael in 3 cases -- 4th District Justice Michael J. Raphael, seeking a 12-year term Nov. 3, wrote a dissent, concurrence and majority opinion whose positions were subsequently upheld by the California Supreme Court.

From juvenile court to water law, Boulware Eurie expands her reach -- Justice Stacy Boulware Eurie has expanded into water and environmental law while maintaining her commitment to child welfare and judicial education. She seeks a 12-year term on Nov. 3.

3 more election profiles: Feinberg, Hanasono, Tamzarian

The DJ's rollout of appellate justice election profiles continues with:

Feinberg brings exacting approach to writing and interpreting the law -- Justice Aimee Feinberg, a former California deputy solicitor general who argued before the U.S. Supreme Court, seeks retention Nov. 3.

Justice Hanasono stresses clear, accessible opinions -- Justice Mark Hanasono, whose family's World War II internment history inspired his legal career, brings experience as a public defender and trial judge to the 2nd District Court of Appeal.

"Every opinion we write is an opportunity to explain -- not just decide," Hanasono said in an email about appellate work. "If our rulings aren't clear or accessible, they're not useful."

Tamzarian brings trial judge's eye for fairness to 2nd District -- Justice Armen Tamzarian, a former Los Angeles trial judge, has written opinions on workplace harassment, electronic privacy and long-term leases. His experiences with litigants shaped his approach to judicial fairness.

"When I left my law firm and started here at the Court of Appeal, the clouds parted for me," he said at his confirmation hearing. "I learned something about myself: I love the law. I don't necessarily like being an advocate. I'm much better suited to be a neutral." Earlier, he was a partner at Case, Knowlson, Jordan & Wright LLP, handling business litigation and constitutional challenges to government regulations. Born in Kuwait, Tamzarian came to the United States from Lebanon as a boy. He worked as an insurance claims adjuster before graduating from Southwestern Law School in 1995.

The DJ also has California courts face growing judge shortage as caseloads become more complex -- A Judicial Council study found California needs 231 additional judgeships across 22 counties, more than double the shortfall identified in 2022, as increasingly complex cases and new legal requirements strain the courts.

Big change coming for CA appellate records!

On Friday, October 16, the Judicial Council approved numerous proposals affecting appellate practice, including proposal 26-115 requiring the use of appendixes in (most) civil appeals. This rule, effective Jan. 1, 2027, will drastically reduce the use of Clerk's Transcripts as the record on appeal and so presumably will increase speed and efficiency in the appellate process.

#tombstone#CT#RIP

Today's DJ also has Myron Moskovitz's column Working, Part 7: The reply brief -- A powerful appellate reply brief turns opposing counsel's arguments against them, delivers the final word and gives the court compelling reasons to reverse.

2 more election profiles: Bromberg, Delaney

More DJ election profiles:

Bromberg brought 3 decades of appellate advocacy to 6th District court -- Justice Daniel H. Bromberg's MICRA dissent won unanimous agreement from the California Supreme Court. A former appellate specialist and Newsom administration lawyer, he seeks a 12-year retention term Nov. 3.

Before Bromberg joined the appellate court, the Harvard Law School graduate spent three decades as an appellate specialist and had never been a judge. ... At Jones Day, where he worked 11 years, Bromberg wrote several dozen U.S. Supreme Court briefs and successfully argued Cortez Byrd Chips Inc. v. Bill Harbert Construction Co. (2000). In 2005, he helped former Stanford Law School Dean Kathleen Sullivan establish an appellate practice at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan. They represented USC in Sargon Enterprises Inc. v. University of Southern California (2012), a leading California Supreme Court decision requiring trial judges to exclude speculative or unreliable expert testimony. ... Newsom appointed Bromberg deputy legal affairs secretary in 2019, overseeing litigation against the Trump administration. ... Bromberg left the administration in 2021 to lead Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP's national appellate practice. He also was founding director of UC Law San Francisco's California Appellate Advocacy Program and taught California constitutional law at Berkeley Law.

Delaney's opinions draw lines on privilege, debt collection and civility -- Justice Thomas A. Delaney has written appellate opinions on privileged emails, debt collection and lawyer civility. A former Orange County trial judge, he seeks a four-year retention term Nov. 3.

The Orange County chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates gave Delaney its civility award in 2019. A 1992 Loyola Law School graduate, Delaney spent more than two decades in civil litigation, defending product liability and mass tort cases and organizations sued over sexual abuse. ... He was the California Judges Association president in 2020-21.

Election profiles: Langhorne Wilson, Scott

The DJ's latest pair of election profiles:

Langhorne Wilson's appellate rulings draw on years as trial judge -- Justice Monique Langhorne Wilson, a former Napa County trial judge, has written opinions on murder resentencing, whistleblower retaliation and alleged coaching abuse. She seeks retention on Nov. 3.

Scott's sanctions opinion warns lawyers they are 'not mere mouthpieces' -- Justice Nathan R. Scott of the 4th District, Division 3, who co-chairs the Orange County Bar Association's civility task force, sanctioned a lawyer $25,000 for baseless accusations against a trial judge. He seeks retention Nov. 3.

New CAAL Member

California Academy of Appellate Lawyers Announces New Member

The California Academy of Appellate Lawyers is pleased to announce that it admitted Nadia Sarkis as a new member at its October 3, 2026 meeting.

Ms. Sarkis is a partner at Miller Barondess, LLP. She received her Juris Doctor from Northwestern School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University. After law school, Ms. Sarkis clerked for Ferdinand F. Fernandez of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and for Chief Justice Mary Mullarky of the Colorado Supreme Court. She is a State Bar of California certified specialist in appellate law.

Founded in 1972, the Academy is the nation’s oldest lawyers’ organization dedicated to appellate practice. Our members are California lawyers with substantial appellate experience, who are elected to membership after rigorous scrutiny of their reputation, character, and appellate advocacy skills. Academy members are frequently counsel of record in the most complex and highest-impact cases before the California Supreme Court, California Courts of Appeal, and federal appellate courts. More information about the Academy appears on its website at www.CalAppellate.org.

Election profiles: Smiley, Stone, Motoike, Renner

Today's DJ has more election profiles:

Smiley's rulings trace limits of law from flagpoles to criminal courts -- Justice Charles A. Smiley III has ruled on flag displays, criminal sentencing and probation conditions since joining the 1st District Court of Appeal after 18 years on the Alameda County bench.

Justice Stone reversed murder conviction after judge advised prosecutors -- Justice Natalie Stone reversed a murder conviction over a judge's efforts to aid prosecutors and has written on rent control, port emissions and criminal justice as she faces voters Nov. 3.

Supreme Court sided with Motoike in two of her three dissents -- New 4th District Presiding Justice Joanne Motoike, whose dissents were twice vindicated by the state Supreme Court, faces retention vote.

Supreme Court twice backs Renner's reasoning as he faces voters -- Twice, the California Supreme Court has unanimously adopted 3rd District Justice Jonathan Renner's reasoning. The former legal affairs secretary to Gov. Jerry Brown seeks a full 12-year term Nov. 3.

Today's DJ also has the special insert Top Boutiques 2026, which features Woodland Hills appellate boutique Benedon & Serlin, LLP.

Let's talk about writs!

The California Law Revision Commission has issued Memorandum 2026-32 (Aug. 6, 2026) "Writ Procedures: Introduction of Study":

The Legislature passed ACR 168 (Pacheco) on July 15, 2026, part of which directs the Commission to study “whether the Code of Civil Procedure should be revised, including, but not limited to, whether the statutes governing writ procedures should be revised.”

SFVBA 4-part Appellate mcle

For the San Fernando Valley Bar Assn, H&L's David Axelrad presents Appeals in California: What you Always Wanted to Know, a four-part series of one-hour programs at noon running Oct. 14 (an overview of the California state appellate process) & Oct. 21 (preserving issues for appeal), Dec. 2 (obtaining stays of enforcement pending appeal) & Dec. 9 (tips on appellate brief writing and oral argument).  Free to SFVBA members; $30 for non-members.

9th Cir. Chief Mediator retires

Stephen Liacouras, until recently the Ninth Circuit's Chief Mediator, has set up Liacouras Mediation:

• Full-time mediator since 2001; successfully resolved more than 1,000 complex civil disputes.
• Chief Circuit Mediator, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2018–2026; Led the nation's largest court-staffed appellate mediation program.
• Circuit Mediator, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2001–2018.
• Mediation practice areas include business and commercial, civil rights, insurance, ERISA, employment, environmental and natural resources, intellectual property, personal injury and wrongful death, real property, housing, and financial services.
• Extensive teaching of mediation and negotiation skills to judges, attorneys, and law students.

More election profiles: Mesiwala, Martinez

 The DJ's latest batch of appellate profiles for the election are:

Mesiwala brings research attorney's eye to 3rd District bench -- Justice Shama Mesiwala, a former 3rd District research attorney, has written on prison credits, tribal child welfare and criminal procedure as she seeks a four-year term Nov. 3.

Martinez's eviction ruling reaches high court ahead of retention vote -- Presiding Justice Gonzalo C. Martinez, Jr., whose L.A. eviction ruling is before the California Supreme Court, has written opinions on government authority, consumer fees and environmental review as he faces voters Nov. 3.

Law.com has Appellate Trial Support: Accelerating Growth or ‘New Normal’ for Defense Teams? -- According to legal observers in Philadelphia, defense appellate trial support has become a fixture in high-stakes litigation.

Ability, not politics, for law clerks

Reuters has Judges say ‘fit’ and ability outweigh politics in law clerk hiring

Despite a perception among US law students that politics plays a key role in judicial clerk hiring, judges themselves say political ideology is not a top factor, according to a ​new study on how judges pick their clerks.
Instead, judges say they seek to identify law ‌students and recent law graduates who can meet their demands while getting along with everyone and ideally forming lifelong relationships.

Justices confirmed!

The DJ has Newsom nominees Giza, Pánuco and Hernandez confirmed to appellate courts -- The Commission on Judicial Appointments unanimously confirmed three Superior Court judges to California appellate courts, with supporters praising their legal expertise, judicial temperament and commitment to public service.

The Recorder has Commission Confirms Three to California's Courts of Appeal -- The confirmations leave just a few open appellate seats for Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill before he leaves office in January.

Law360 has Calif. Commission Bumps Up 3 Judges To Appellate Posts:

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judges Alexander Giza and Cindy Pánuco will fill seats in the California Court of Appeal's Second Appellate District, Division Three, in Los Angeles, the commission said. Orange County Superior Court Judge Maria Daghlian Hernandez, meanwhile, will become a justice of the Fourth Appellate District, Division Three, in Santa Ana.

Election profiles: Cody, Wilson

 The DJ continues to roll out profiles of the justices up for retention election:

New presiding justice Cody brings close reading, collegiality to Division 6 -- Presiding Justice Tari L. Cody of the 2nd District Court of Appeal, Division 6, a former juvenile court judge known for taking the time to get rulings right, faces her first retention vote.

Wilson pairs focus on courtroom fairness with mentoring future lawyers -- Justice Charles E. Wilson II of the 6th District Court of Appeal has written on courtroom fairness, worker pay and government authority while building mentoring programs for future lawyers and judges.