Governor Newsom appoints 16 judges to California superior courts

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday appointed 16 new Superior Court judges to courts in eight California counties.

Los Angeles County saw the largest share of appointments - six.

William Forman, a partner at Winston & Strawn LLP since 2021, was named to replace retired judge James A. Kaddo. Forman has also worked at several other law firms including Scheper Kim & Harris LLP, WilmerHale, and Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he was a deputy federal public defender from 1997 to 2003.

David Garcia, a supervising attorney at Inner City Law Center since 2023, was named to replace retired judge Daniel Feldstern. Garcia has also worked at Edison International and Southern California Edison Company and as an assistant U.S. attorney and deputy district attorney. He graduated from UCLA School of Law.

Sumako McCallum, a court commissioner since 2024, was named to replace Judge Anne Hwang, who was appointed a federal judge on the Central District of California. McCallum has worked in the Los Angeles County Counsel's Office, the Children's Law Center of Los Angeles, and at Morrison & Foerster LLP from 2000 to 2002. She graduated from UCLA School of Law.

Alan Z. Yudkowsky, a court commissioner since 2019, was named to replace retired judge Barbara M. Scheper. He previously ran his own law firm and worked at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan. He graduated from New York Law School.

Melanie Chavira, a city prosecutor in Redondo Beach, was named to replace retired judge Mary Lou Villar. Chavira previously worked as a trial advocacy Instructor and was a prosecutor and assistant supervisor at the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office. He graduated from UCLA School of Law.

Terrence Jones, chief trial counsel at Cameron Jones LLP since 2022, was named to replace judge Serena R. Murillo, who was appointed a federal judge on the Central District of California. Jones has worked at Ballard Spahr LLP and an assistant U.S. attorney. He graduated from Loyola Law School.

Newsom appointed a new judge to the Merced County Superior Court.

Ashley Albertoni Sausser, an attorney at Albertoni & Associates since 2015, was named to replace the retired judge Shelly Seymour. Albertoni Sausser previously worked at Fagalde, Albertoni & Flores and was a lecturer at California State University, Stanislaus. She graduated from Humphreys Drivon School of Law.

Orange County Superior Court has one new judge.

Randall Bethune, a court commissioner since 2024, was named to replace the retired judge James L. Waltz. Bethune previously was a senior deputy public defender and ran his own law practice. He graduated from Whittier Law School.

Newsom appointed one new judge to the San Diego County Superior Court.

Deborah Cumba, a court commissioner since 2021, was named to replace the retired judge Howard H. Shore. Cumba previously was a deputy attorney at the California State Department of Transportation and worked at Wilson Elser and at Clark Hill. She graduated from University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

San Francisco County Superior Court has two new judges.

John D. Echeverria, who has worked in the California Attorney General's Office since 2016, was named to replace the retiring judge Anne-Christine Massullo. Echeverria has been an adjunct professor at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco and worked at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. He clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Philip S. Gutierrez on the Central District of California from 2009 to 2010. He graduated from UCLA School of Law.

Dawn Payne, an attorney in the Legal Services office of the Judicial Council of California since 2016, was named to replace the retiring judge Kathleen A. Kelly. Payne previously was a staff attorney at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and worked at Calvo & Clark LLP. She clerked for U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken on the Northern District of California and for 9th Circuit Judge Harry Pregerson. She graduated from UCLA School of Law.

Santa Clara County Superior Court has three new judges.

Erik Johnson, a court commissioner since 2020, was named to replace retired judge Carrie Zepeda-Madrid. Johnson worked as a solo practitioner from 2010 to 2020. Before hanging his own shingle, he was an associate for Hinkle Jachimowicz, Pointer & Emmanuel. He graduated from Santa Clara University School of Law.

Jeffrey El-Hajj, a research attorney for the 6th District Court of Appeal since 2013, was named to replace the retired judge Peter H. Kirwan. El-Hajj clerked at the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands from 2011 to 2013 and worked at Angel Law. He graduated from University of California College of the Law, San Francisco.

Eunice Lee, a deputy district attorney since 2015, was named to replace the retired judge Vanessa Zecher. She previously worked at Minami Tamaki. She graduated from University of California College of the Law, San Francisco.

San Joaquin County Superior Court will get one new judge.

Adam Ramirez, who has worked at Hakeem, Ellis, Marengo & Ramirez since 2008, was named to replace the retired judge Jose L. Alva. Ramirez was an adjunct professor at Humphreys University Drivon School of Law and on attorney at the Family Law Service Center and at the Law Office of Christopher K. Eley from 2007 to 2008. He graduated from Humphreys University Drivon School of Law.

Newsom appointed a new judge to the Tulare County Superior Court.

Frank Ruiz, a deputy county counsel in Kings County since 2014, was named to replace the retired judge Brett R. Alldredge. Ruiz previously worked at the Children's Advocacy Group and volunteered for the public defender in Riverside. He graduated from the Seattle University School of Law.