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Rhonda A. Haymon

Deputy Public Defender, County of Los Angeles
42.1% in JuneNo civil record found

LA 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.

On your ballot. Los Angeles County Superior Court, Office No. 64. Choose one: Maria Ghobadi or Rhonda A. Haymon.

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 2001. Orange County public defender from 2001, LA County public defender since 2004. Self-reports 100+ jury trials.

Conduct

Reported mainly by MetNews, which opposes her: held in contempt by a judge she later ran against (2024); a May 2026 remark about a judge's religion that Southwestern Law School condemned; a July 2026 court order admonishing her for a missed appearance and interfering with deputies; and a listed endorsement from Supervisor Barger that Barger's office said was untrue.

Endorsements

Self-reported: Mayor Karen Bass, Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Rep. Maxine Waters (recommended), Public Defender Ricardo Garcia, UNITE HERE 11, LA Sentinel.
Candidate survey answers (LAist) ›

Court records

Trellis attorney record · civil cases only
No civil cases found with her as counsel. Her practice is criminal defense.
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.
  • Justin Allen ClaytonSupervising deputy public defender at the Inglewood branch; self-reports dozens of trials, including three life cases. Rated Qualified by LACBA; no controversies found.
  • 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.