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Court of Appeal, Fourth District: 2026 retention votes
Voters in Imperial, Inyo, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego decide Yes or No on these 15 justices.
Tip: tap "+ Compare" on up to 3 judges to see them side by side.
Associate Justice, Division 1 (San Diego)
Former federal prosecutor; San Diego probate and juvenile dependency judge for 19+ years. Revived a student-loan borrower's class action; sits on the Commission on Judicial Performance.
Motions granted: 54.9% (County avg 56.2%)Average case length: 575 days (County avg 921)
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 2 No 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County.
Mostly heard probate (estates and conservatorships) cases. Granted motions at about the same rate as other judges in the county, 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
Associate Justice, Division 1 (San Diego)
Former federal prosecutor 2010 to 2020; San Diego trial judge 2020 to 2023. For a 2-1 panel, upheld a $46 million verdict for a paralyzed jiu-jitsu student.
First retention voteNo 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 2 No 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County.
From the trial court record. Trellis profile exists but has no analytics.
Associate Justice, Division 1 (San Diego)
Former LA deputy DA and big-firm partner; San Diego's first Vietnamese American Superior Court judge. Ruled denying resentencing to certain juvenile offenders violates equal protection.
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 1 No 3 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices). No: Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County.
From the trial court record. Short trial tenure in criminal and family courts; no Trellis analytics.
Associate Justice, Division 1 (San Diego)
Former securities class action partner; San Diego trial judge 2003 to 2017. Ordered a new trial for a tenant denied a free court reporter.
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 4 No 0 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County. No: –.
From the trial court record. Trellis has a record under his name, but it is tagged to LA County rather than San Diego, so it is withheld pending verification.
Associate Justice, Division 1 (San Diego)
Former law firm partner and UC San Diego compliance officer; Imperial County judge 2018 to 2026 and its first Latina presiding judge. No widely reported appellate rulings yet.
First retention voteNo 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 2 No 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County.
From the trial court record. Trellis profile exists but has no analytics.
Associate Justice, Division 1 (nominee; currently a San Diego Superior Court judge)
Former San Diego deputy DA for 17 years; criminal trial judge since 2015. Nominee who granted the Santana High shooter's resentencing; the DA publicly opposed it and appealed.
First retention voteNo trial data
Outside rating. None found. The State Bar rates nominees before appointment, but we could not find this rating in public sources.
Conduct. The San Diego District Attorney publicly opposed her 2026 resentencing ruling in the Santana High case and appealed it.
What others recommend. Yes 2 No 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County.
From the trial court record. Trellis profile exists but has no analytics; her assignment is criminal.
Associate Justice, Division 1 (San Diego)
San Diego deputy DA for 20 years; San Diego trial judge 2007 to 2023, including three years on its Appellate Division. No widely reported appellate rulings yet.
First retention voteNo 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 2 No 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County.
From the trial court record. Trellis has records under his name, but some are attributed to another judge, so his trial-court figures are withheld pending verification.
Associate Justice, Division 2 (Riverside)
Former deputy DA and deputy chief assistant U.S. attorney; San Bernardino trial judge 2015 to 2025. Appointed 2025; no widely reported appellate rulings yet.
Motions granted: 57.6% (County avg 55.0%)Average case length: 475 days (County avg 594)
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 2 No 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County.
Heard a mix of cases, most often debt collection cases (58%). Granted motions at about the same rate as other judges in the county, 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
Associate Justice, Division 2 (Riverside)
Former federal prosecutor and criminal appeals chief who prosecuted the Barry Bonds grand jury leak; LA civil judge 2012 to 2018. Questioned full-record reviews in no-issue appeals.
Motions granted: 55.6% (County avg 54.4%)Average case length: 506 days (County avg 545)
Full 12-year termExceptionally Well Qualified (State Bar, 2018)Trellis trial record
Outside rating. Exceptionally Well Qualified (State Bar, 2018)
Conduct. No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend. Yes 2 No 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County.
Mostly heard injury and civil-harm cases. 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
Presiding Justice, Division 3 (Santa Ana)
Former Orange County public defender and UN war crimes tribunal attorney; Orange County judge 2013 to 2022, including juvenile presiding judge. Revived a school negligent-supervision claim.
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 1 No 3 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices). No: Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County.
From the trial court record. Trellis profile exists but has no analytics.
Associate Justice, Division 3 (Santa Ana)
Former civil defense partner; Orange County trial judge 2014 to 2022. Ruled a science camp's gender-identity discussions with fifth-graders were protected speech.
Motions granted: 55.2% (County avg 55.8%)Average case length: 703 days (County avg 1,124)
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 2 No 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County.
Heard a mix of cases, most often injury and civil-harm cases (45%). Granted motions at about the same rate as other judges in the county, 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
Associate Justice, Division 3 (Santa Ana)
Former Kirkland & Ellis litigator and appellate attorney; Orange County trial judge 2012 to 2025. Ruled unpaid nursing students on clinical rotations are protected from harassment as interns.
Motions granted: 51.2% (County avg 55.8%)Average case length: 660 days (County avg 1,124)
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 2 No 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County.
Heard a mix of cases, most often injury and civil-harm cases (44%). 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
Associate Justice, Division 3 (Santa Ana)
Former Ninth Circuit clerk and deputy attorney general 1997 to 2009; Orange County trial judge 2009 to 2026. Appointed 2026; no widely reported appellate rulings yet.
Motions granted: 56.3% (County avg 55.8%)Average case length: 747 days (County avg 1,124)
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 2 No 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County.
Heard a mix of cases, most often injury and civil-harm cases (44%). Granted motions at about the same rate as other judges in the county, 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
Associate Justice, Division 3 (Santa Ana)
Former big-firm partner; Orange County trial judge 2013 to 2023. For a 2-1 panel, held a 'friends with benefits' relationship was not dating under domestic violence law.
Motions granted: 54.9% (County avg 55.8%)Average case length: 858 days (County avg 1,124)
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 2 No 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County.
Heard a mix of cases, most often injury and civil-harm cases (43%). Granted motions at about the same rate as other judges in the county, 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
Associate Justice, Division 3 (nominee)
Former parole board commissioner and chief administrative law judge; Orange County family judge since 2022. Nominee; would take the seat in 2027; no appellate rulings.
Motions granted: 57.0% (County avg 55.8%)Average case length: 1,299 days (County avg 1,124)
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 1 No 3 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices). No: Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California, Republican Party of San Diego County.
Mostly heard family law cases. 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