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Court of Appeal, Third District: 2026 retention votes
Voters in Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo and Yuba decide Yes or No on these 7 justices.
Tip: tap "+ Compare" on up to 3 judges to see them side by side.
Administrative Presiding Justice
Former public defender and deputy DA; Sacramento trial judge from 2005, presiding judge 2012 to 2013. Credited with helping clear the Third District's case backlog.
Motions granted: 51.9% (County avg 55.6%)Average case length: 812 days (County avg 877)
First vote as Presiding JusticeExceptionally Well Qualified (State Bar, 2023)Trellis trial record
Outside rating. Exceptionally Well Qualified (State Bar, 2023)
Conduct. No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend. Yes 2 No 1 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California.
Heard a mix of cases, most often injury and civil-harm cases (55%). 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
Former Orrick employment and pay equity partner; Sacramento trial judge 2018 to 2026, where she created the Complex Civil Litigation department. No widely reported appellate rulings yet.
Motions granted: 58.0% (County avg 55.6%)Average case length: 422 days (County avg 877)
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 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices). No: Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California.
Heard a mix of cases, most often debt collection 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 (nominee)
Governor's Legal Affairs Secretary since 2022 and former ACLU education lawyer; never a trial judge. Nominee who takes the seat in 2027 if retained; no rulings yet.
First retention voteNot 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 1 No 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices). 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
Former Senior Assistant Attorney General; Sacramento trial judge for 15 years, including juvenile court presiding judge 2010 to 2018. No widely reported appellate rulings yet.
Motions granted: 50.9% (County avg 53.8%)Average case length: 611 days (County avg 833)
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 2 No 1 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California.
Mostly heard debt collection 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. This is a small record, so read it with caution.
Their trial court record, compared with other judges in the county
Motions granted
Average case length
Associate Justice
Former Senior Assistant Attorney General and governor's Legal Affairs Secretary; never a trial judge. The Supreme Court unanimously adopted his partial dissent in a murder-liability case.
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 2 No 1 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices), Craig Huey voter guide. No: Reform California.
From the trial court record. Never served as a trial judge, so there is no trial court record to show.
Associate Justice
Former U.S. Supreme Court clerk and California Deputy Solicitor General 2014 to 2023; never a trial judge. Appointed 2024; no widely reported rulings yet.
First retention voteNot 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 1 No 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices). 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
First South Asian and Muslim woman on a California appellate court; Sacramento trial judge 2017 to 2023. Supreme Court unanimously adopted her dissent in a school abuse case.
Motions granted: 54.7% (County avg 55.6%)Average case length: 1,482 days (County avg 877)
Remainder of predecessor's 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 1 No 2 Yes: Indivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices). No: Craig Huey voter guide, Reform California.
Heard a mix of cases, most often employment cases (41%). 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. This is a small record, so read it with caution.
Their trial court record, compared with other judges in the county
Motions granted
Average case length