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Monique Langhorne Wilson↗
Associate Justice, Division 1
First retention voteTrellis trial record
Napa'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.
On your ballot. Vote Yes or No on keeping Monique Langhorne Wilson 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. Napa County's first Black deputy district attorney. Napa Superior Court commissioner 2006 to 2018, then judge 2018 to 2023; won a contested 2020 election with more than 80%.
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
- Housing & propertyMendocino Railway v. Meyer (2025). Held the Skunk Train railroad is a public utility that can use eminent domain to take a landowner's parcel in Willits. Read the opinion ›
From the trial court record
Heard a mix of cases, most often family law cases (53%). 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
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
Family 53.1%, Small Claims 18.0%, Torts 9.3%
| Motion type | Granted | Rulings | County avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary restraining order | 89.5% | 419 | 88.6% |
| Reconsideration | 38.1% | 21 | 32.4% |
Napa County Superior Court · 4,966 docketsUpdated 2026-10-02 · Full profile →
Sample rulings from the trial bench
- Injury & safetyVictims' families v. State of California (Yountville Veterans Home) (2019-09-18)Motion granted Families of victims killed at the Veterans Home sued the State, Napa County and the Sheriff over weak security. Applying a law that shields government from claims about the level of police protection, the judge dismissed the claims. Read the ruling on Trellis ›
- Government & public agenciesHall Vineland v. City of St. Helena (2019-09-20)Motion denied A landowner sued after the City took back a promise of water service. The judge rejected the City's bid to dismiss, finding the letter could be a binding contract and that fairness might require the City to keep its promise. Read the ruling on Trellis ›
- Housing & propertyCity of Napa v. property owners (2019-11-08)Split decision The City sued owners who left a home's outside walls unfinished and open to the weather. The judge ruled for the City on the code and nuisance claims, ordering $336,900 in fines and an injunction. Read the ruling on Trellis ›
Sources: Court bio
Others on the same ballot
- 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.
- Danny Y. ChouFormer 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.
- 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.