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Tara M. Desautels↗
Associate Justice, Division 2
First retention voteTrellis trial record
Former 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.
On your ballot. Vote Yes or No on keeping Tara M. Desautels 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, 2024.
Outside rating. None found. The State Bar rates nominees before appointment, but we could not find this rating in public sources.
Before the bench. About eight years as an Alameda County deputy DA, including child sexual assault cases, then a white-collar and antitrust litigator at Pillsbury. Alameda Superior Court judge 2010 to 2024, including presiding judge during COVID.
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
No widely reported rulings found.
From the trial court record
Heard a mix of cases, most often injury and civil-harm cases (27%). Granted motions somewhat less often than the county average, 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
Torts 27.4%, Family 20.7%, Property 20.7%
| Motion type | Granted | Rulings | County avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary restraining order | 57.3% | 485 | 73.5% |
| Demurrer | 51.4% | 21 | 48.5% |
| Attorney fees | 88.0% | 25 | 67.3% |
Alameda County Superior Court · 2,498 docketsUpdated 2026-10-09 · Full profile →
Sample rulings from the trial bench
- Business & consumerDriver v. General Motors (2024-03-06)Motion denied A driver who leased a Chevy Bolt said GM hid a battery defect. The judge let the fraud and lemon-law claims go forward, and disclosed that she owns a recalled Bolt herself. Read the ruling on Trellis ›
- Free speech & privacyRental applicants v. Equity Residential (2023-12-13)Motion granted Rental applicants said a landlord ran background reports without required notices. The judge dismissed the privacy claims with permission to refile, finding a notice defect after the applicants consented was not a serious privacy invasion. Read the ruling on Trellis ›
Sources: Court bio
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.
- 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.