← Back
Charles E. Wilson II
Associate Justice
Full 12-year termNo trial data
Former deputy DA; Santa Clara trial judge supervising family violence. Ruled that making three Spanish-speaking defendants share one interpreter violated the right to an interpreter.
On your ballot. Vote Yes or No on keeping Charles E. Wilson II on the court (full 12-year term). Appears on ballots in Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz.
Qualifications
Appointment. Appointed by Gov. Newsom, 2021.
Outside rating. None found. The State Bar rates nominees before appointment, but we could not find this rating in public sources.
Before the bench. Civil complex litigation, then about seven years as a deputy DA. Santa Clara Superior Court judge for about seven years, supervising the family violence division.
Conduct
No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend
- YesSan Francisco Chronicle (newspaper editorial board)
- YesIndivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices) (progressive group)
- YesCraig Huey voter guide (conservative guide)
- NoReform California (conservative guide)
Robyn Nordell's conservative guide repeats Craig Huey's picks, so it is not listed separately.
Trellis does not make recommendations. These are positions published by outside groups as of October 16, 2026. Labels describe each group's general leaning.
Notable rulings
- Criminal justiceMolina v. Superior Court (2024). Three Spanish-speaking defendants sharing one interpreter violated a defendant's state constitutional right to an interpreter. Read the opinion ›
- Government & public agenciesCounty of Santa Clara v. Superior Court (2023). Rejected AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile property-tax refund claims. Read the opinion ›
From the trial court record
Trellis profile exists but has no analytics.
Sources: Daily Journal
Others on the same ballot
- Frederick S. ChungFormer Gibson Dunn partner with 22 years of civil litigation; Santa Clara trial judge since 2018. Nominee; would take the seat in 2027; no appellate rulings.
- Charles F. AdamsFormer family law attorney and federal clerk; Santa Clara family division supervising judge, named 2025 Judge of the Year by a local trial lawyers group.
- Allison Marston DannerFormer U.S. Supreme Court clerk, Vanderbilt law professor and federal prosecutor; Santa Clara trial judge 2012 to 2018. No widely reported rulings in the record; no discipline found.
- Daniel H. BrombergFormer appellate partner at Jones Day and Pillsbury and deputy legal affairs secretary to the governor; never a trial judge. No widely reported rulings yet.