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Kelli M. Evans↗
Associate Justice, California Supreme Court
First retention voteWell Qualified (State Bar, 2022)Trellis trial record
Former public defender and federal civil rights attorney; Alameda trial judge 2021 to 2023. Has repeatedly voted to overturn death sentences under the Racial Justice Act.
On your ballot. Vote Yes or No on keeping Kelli M. Evans on the court (first retention vote). Appears on ballots in every California county.
Qualifications
Appointment. Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, 2022.
Outside rating. Well Qualified
From the State Bar's Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation, given before the 2022 appointment. This is the commission's assessment, not Trellis's. It was made for the appointment, not for this election; we found no bar rating issued for this retention vote.
Before the bench. Sacramento public defender, ACLU of Northern California attorney, senior trial attorney in the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, and member of court-appointed teams monitoring police reform in Oakland and Cleveland. Alameda County Superior Court judge, 2021 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)
- NoLos Angeles County Republican Party (Republican Party)
- NoContra Costa Republican Party (Republican Party)
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
- Family & childrenIn re Dezi C. (2024). Wrote the 5-2 majority: when child welfare officials fail to properly ask whether a child may be Native American, cases ending parental rights can be sent back to fix it. Read the opinion ›
- Criminal justicePeople v. Hardin (dissent) (2024). Dissented when the court upheld excluding people sentenced to life without parole for crimes committed at ages 18 to 25 from youth parole hearings. She wrote the exclusion had no rational basis. Read the opinion ›
- Criminal justiceRacial Justice Act death penalty cases (2026). Repeatedly voted, often with Justice Liu, to overturn death sentences tainted by racially biased language or conduct at trial. Read the opinion ›
From the trial court record
Mostly heard injury and civil-harm 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
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
Caseload mix
Torts 90.5%, Labor & Employment 6.0%
| Motion type | Granted | Rulings | County avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary restraining order | 88.0% | 400 | 75.8% |
Short tenure (about two years). Record last refreshed March 2025.
Alameda County Superior Court · 710 docketsUpdated 2025-03-30 · Full profile →
Sources: CalMatters voter guideCourt bio
Others on the same ballot
- Joshua GrobanFormer corporate litigator and judicial-appointments adviser; never a trial judge. Wrote the 6-1 ruling striking down a required warning on police complaint forms.