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Justin Allen Clayton

Deputy Public Defender, County of Los Angeles
36.7% in JuneTrellis civil record

Supervising deputy public defender at the Inglewood branch; self-reports dozens of trials, including three life cases. Rated Qualified by LACBA; no controversies found.

On your ballot. Los Angeles County Superior Court, Office No. 65. Choose one: Justin Allen Clayton or Anna Slotky Reitano.

Qualifications

Ballot designation. Deputy Public Defender, County of Los Angeles
Outside rating. LACBA: Qualified
From the LA County Bar Association's evaluation of candidates in this election. This is LACBA's assessment, not Trellis's.
Background. Admitted 2012. Deputy-in-Charge (supervisor) of the Public Defender's Inglewood branch. Self-reports dozens of trials including three life cases.

Conduct

None found.

Endorsements

LA County Democratic Party, Colorado Boulevard. Self-reported: Public Defender Garcia, Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, about 17 judges.
Candidate survey answers (LAist) ›

Court records

Trellis attorney record · civil cases only
1 civil case found (medium confidence): plaintiff's counsel in a 2013 breach-of-contract case against Bank of America in Compton, dismissed in 2014.
Covers civil state trial court records. Criminal cases are a known blind spot, so an empty or short record usually reflects a criminal practice, not a lack of experience.
Sources: MetNewsCampaign site

Others on the same ballot

  • Maria GhobadiLA deputy DA with 6+ years in Gang Homicide; MetNews reports 85+ jury trials, 21 of them homicides. Rated Well Qualified by LACBA; no controversies found.
  • Rhonda A. HaymonLA deputy public defender since 2004; rated Qualified. MetNews, which opposes her, reports a 2024 contempt finding and a 2026 court admonishment over a missed appearance.
  • Anna Slotky ReitanoDeputy county counsel supervising civil litigation, after 10+ years as a public defender; rated Qualified. MetNews questioned her independence over a 2022 slate and her ballot title.
  • Anthony (A.J.) BayneAbout 25 years as an LA deputy public defender, 19 in Compton; now handles special-circumstance murders. Rated Well Qualified by LACBA; former aerospace worker; no controversies found.
  • David DeJuteFormer federal prosecutor and Sony Pictures litigation VP; adjunct running Pepperdine's Disaster Relief Clinic; rated Qualified. MetNews calls his 'Law Professor' ballot title misleading.
  • Donna TryfmanLA deputy public defender since 1998 handling capital cases; former president of the statewide Public Defenders Association; rated Qualified. MetNews notes critics who call her abrasive.
  • David RossLA County alternate public defender since 2000 and former TV reporter; self-reports 113 jury trials; rated Qualified. 'Alternate' was added to his ballot title after a protest.