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Court of Appeal, First District: 2026 retention votes
Voters in Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano and Sonoma decide Yes or No on these 11 justices.
Tip: tap "+ Compare" on up to 3 judges to see them side by side.
Associate Justice, Division 1
Napa's first Black deputy DA; Napa commissioner and judge for 17 years. Ruled the Skunk Train is a public utility that can use eminent domain.
Motions granted: 51.5% (County avg 56.5%)Average case length: 318 days (County avg 362)
First retention voteTrellis trial record
Outside rating. None found. The State Bar rates nominees before appointment, but we could not find this rating in public sources.
Conduct. No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend. Yes 5 No 2 Yes: GrowSF, San Francisco Chronicle, SF League of Pissed Off Voters, Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Potrero Hill Democratic Club. No: Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California.
Heard a mix of cases, most often family law cases (53%). Granted motions somewhat less often than the county average, and cases took about as long as the county average.
Their trial court record, compared with other judges in the county
Motions granted
Average case length
Associate Justice, Division 1
Former Alameda public defender; Alameda commissioner and judge from 2007, including presiding judge and juvenile and treatment courts. Appointed 2025; no widely reported appellate rulings yet.
Motions granted: 60.0% (County avg 54.7%)Average case length: 818 days (County avg 628)
First retention voteExceptionally Well Qualified (State Bar, 2025)Trellis trial record
Outside rating. Exceptionally Well Qualified (State Bar, 2025)
Conduct. No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend. Yes 5 No 2 Yes: GrowSF, San Francisco Chronicle, SF League of Pissed Off Voters, Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Potrero Hill Democratic Club. No: Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California.
Mostly heard family law cases. Granted motions somewhat more often than the county average, and cases took longer than the county average, which usually reflects the kind of cases assigned.
Their trial court record, compared with other judges in the county
Motions granted
Average case length
Associate Justice, Division 1
Appellate lawyer for over 20 years; Alameda trial judge 2006 to 2009. Ordered Vallejo to release more of its investigation into officers' badge-bending after shootings.
Full 12-year termQualified (State Bar, 2009)No trial data
Outside rating. Qualified (State Bar, 2009)
Conduct. No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend. Yes 7 No 0 Yes: GrowSF, San Francisco Chronicle, SF League of Pissed Off Voters, Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Potrero Hill Democratic Club, Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California. No: –.
From the trial court record. Served as a trial judge 2006 to 2009; no Trellis judge profile found.
Presiding Justice, Division 2
Former San Francisco Chief Deputy City Attorney who argued the city's marriage equality cases; never a trial judge. Revived a 1987 death-row inmate's hidden-evidence claim.
First vote as Presiding JusticeExceptionally Well Qualified (State Bar, 2022)Not a former trial judge
Outside rating. Exceptionally Well Qualified (State Bar, 2022)
Conduct. No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend. Yes 5 No 2 Yes: GrowSF, San Francisco Chronicle, SF League of Pissed Off Voters, Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Potrero Hill Democratic Club. No: Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California.
From the trial court record. Never served as a trial judge, so there is no trial court record to show.
Associate Justice, Division 2
Former Alameda deputy DA and white-collar litigator; Alameda trial judge for 14 years, including presiding judge during COVID. Appointed 2024; no widely reported appellate rulings yet.
Motions granted: 51.0% (County avg 54.7%)Average case length: 870 days (County avg 628)
First retention voteTrellis trial record
Outside rating. None found. The State Bar rates nominees before appointment, but we could not find this rating in public sources.
Conduct. No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend. Yes 5 No 2 Yes: GrowSF, San Francisco Chronicle, SF League of Pissed Off Voters, Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Potrero Hill Democratic Club. No: Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California.
Heard a mix of cases, most often injury and civil-harm cases (27%). Granted motions somewhat less often than the county average, and cases took longer than the county average, which usually reflects the kind of cases assigned.
Their trial court record, compared with other judges in the county
Motions granted
Average case length
Associate Justice, Division 3
Former federal prosecutor and health-care fraud coordinator; Alameda trial judge 2010 to 2018. For a 2-1 panel, threw out a $2.16 million verdict for a fired PG&E lineman.
Motions granted: 52.6% (County avg 54.7%)Average case length: 734 days (County avg 628)
Full 12-year termTrellis trial record
Outside rating. None found. The State Bar rates nominees before appointment, but we could not find this rating in public sources.
Conduct. No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend. Yes 5 No 2 Yes: GrowSF, San Francisco Chronicle, SF League of Pissed Off Voters, Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Potrero Hill Democratic Club. No: Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California.
Heard a mix of cases, most often injury and civil-harm cases (39%). Granted motions at about the same rate as other judges in the county, and cases took about as long as the county average.
Their trial court record, compared with other judges in the county
Motions granted
Average case length
Associate Justice, Division 3
Former MALDEF fellow and longtime California Supreme Court staff attorney; ran Alameda's first domestic violence restraining order courtroom. Upheld insurers' use of marital status in rates.
Motions granted: 50.4% (County avg 54.7%)Average case length: 278 days (County avg 628)
Full 12-year termTrellis trial record
Outside rating. None found. The State Bar rates nominees before appointment, but we could not find this rating in public sources.
Conduct. No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend. Yes 5 No 2 Yes: GrowSF, San Francisco Chronicle, SF League of Pissed Off Voters, Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Potrero Hill Democratic Club. No: Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California.
Mostly heard family law cases. Granted motions somewhat less often than the county average, and cases moved faster than the county average, which usually reflects the kind of cases assigned.
Their trial court record, compared with other judges in the county
Motions granted
Average case length
Presiding Justice, Division 4
Former federal prosecutor; San Francisco trial judge 2013 to 2018. Largely upheld Prop 22, keeping app-based drivers as independent contractors; the Supreme Court affirmed.
First vote as Presiding JusticeNo trial data
Outside rating. None found. The State Bar rates nominees before appointment, but we could not find this rating in public sources.
Conduct. No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend. Yes 5 No 2 Yes: GrowSF, San Francisco Chronicle, SF League of Pissed Off Voters, Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Potrero Hill Democratic Club. No: Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California.
From the trial court record. Served on San Francisco Superior Court 2013 to 2018; Trellis has no trial-court analytics for that period.
Associate Justice, Division 5
Former San Francisco appellate chief and Santa Clara lead-paint litigator; San Mateo trial judge 2018 to 2023. Ruled public school employees may strike over unfair labor practices.
Motions granted: 53.8% (County avg 55.1%)Average case length: 431 days (County avg 322)
First retention voteTrellis trial record
Outside rating. None found. The State Bar rates nominees before appointment, but we could not find this rating in public sources.
Conduct. No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend. Yes 5 No 2 Yes: GrowSF, San Francisco Chronicle, SF League of Pissed Off Voters, Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Potrero Hill Democratic Club. No: Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California.
Heard a mix of cases, most often criminal cases (45%). Granted motions at about the same rate as other judges in the county, and cases took longer than the county average, which usually reflects the kind of cases assigned.
Their trial court record, compared with other judges in the county
Motions granted
Average case length
Associate Justice, Division 5
Former public defender; trial judge from 1980 and the longest-serving First District justice. Ruled Sonoma's civilian sheriff-oversight office can subpoena deputies.
Full 12-year termNo trial data
Outside rating. None found. The State Bar rates nominees before appointment, but we could not find this rating in public sources.
Conduct. No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend. Yes 6 No 1 Yes: GrowSF, San Francisco Chronicle, SF League of Pissed Off Voters, Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Potrero Hill Democratic Club, Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California.
From the trial court record. Trial court service predates Trellis coverage; no profile found.
Associate Justice, Division 5
Former deputy attorney general, first Deputy Solicitor General for civil law, and CalEPA undersecretary; never a trial judge. Halted People's Park student housing; later reversed.
Full 12-year termNot a former trial judge
Outside rating. None found. The State Bar rates nominees before appointment, but we could not find this rating in public sources.
Conduct. No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend. Yes 5 No 2 Yes: GrowSF, San Francisco Chronicle, SF League of Pissed Off Voters, Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Potrero Hill Democratic Club. No: Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California.
From the trial court record. Never served as a trial judge, so there is no trial court record to show.