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Danny Y. Chou↗
Associate Justice, Division 5
First retention voteTrellis trial record
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.
On your ballot. Vote Yes or No on keeping Danny Y. Chou on the court (first retention vote). Appears on ballots in Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano and Sonoma.
Qualifications
Appointment. Appointed by Gov. Newsom, 2023.
Outside rating. None found. The State Bar rates nominees before appointment, but we could not find this rating in public sources.
Before the bench. San Francisco's chief of appellate litigation (including marriage equality), then Santa Clara County assistant county counsel on the lead paint case against paint manufacturers ($1.15 billion trial judgment). San Mateo Superior Court judge 2018 to 2023.
Conduct
No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend
- YesGrowSF (moderate civic group)
- YesSan Francisco Chronicle (newspaper editorial board)
- YesSF League of Pissed Off Voters (progressive group)
- YesIndivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices) (progressive group)
- YesPotrero Hill Democratic Club (Democratic club)
- NoCraig 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
- Civil rights & discriminationConservatorship of A.H. (2025). A 311-day delay before an involuntary mental-health conservatorship trial violated due process. Read the opinion ›
- EmploymentOakland USD v. PERB (2025). Public school employees may strike over unfair labor practices. Read the opinion ›
From the trial court record
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
Bars compare this judge with county and state averages. Differences usually reflect the kinds of cases a judge was assigned.
Motions granted
Average case length
Time to trial
Caseload mix
Criminal 44.8%, Torts 21.5%, Commercial 13.1%
| Motion type | Granted | Rulings | County avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demurrer | 52.7% | 81 | 51.5% |
| Summary judgment | 38.3% | 60 | 41.4% |
| Motion to strike | 85.9% | 64 | 66.9% |
San Mateo County Superior Court · 1,086 docketsUpdated 2026-10-02 · Full profile →
Sample rulings from the trial bench
- Civil rights & discriminationFormer employee v. City of Millbrae (2023-02-12)Motion denied A former City employee with an anxiety disorder sued for disability discrimination. The judge refused the City's request to end the case before trial, so the claims could go forward. Read the ruling on Trellis ›
- Housing & propertyPG&E v. homeowners (2022-05-22)Motion granted PG&E has held a gas-pipeline easement across a San Carlos property since 1948. The judge granted PG&E an order to carry out work under that easement over the current owners' objections. Read the ruling on Trellis ›
Sources: Daily Journal
Others on the same ballot
- Monique Langhorne WilsonNapa'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.
- Charles A. Smiley IIIFormer 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.
- Kathleen M. BankeAppellate 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.
- Therese M. StewartFormer 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.
- Tara M. DesautelsFormer 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.
- Ioana PetrouFormer 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.
- Victor A. RodriguezFormer 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.
- Tracie L. BrownFormer federal prosecutor; San Francisco trial judge 2013 to 2018. Largely upheld Prop 22, keeping app-based drivers as independent contractors; the Supreme Court affirmed.
- Mark B. SimonsFormer public defender; trial judge from 1980 and the longest-serving First District justice. Ruled Sonoma's civilian sheriff-oversight office can subpoena deputies.
- Gordon B. BurnsFormer 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.