Newsom names 18 new trial judges in 14 counties

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday named 18 new Superior Court judges in 14 counties, including two in Los Angeles and one in Orange.

Michael Risher was named to the Alameda County Superior Court. Risher has been a sole practitioner and held several positions at the ACLU Foundation of Northern California since 2006. He was a lecturer at Stanford Law School, was a deputy public defender in Alameda County and was a legal affairs advisor for the Lindesmith Center. He clerked for Judge Karen Nelson Moore at the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals from 1996 to 1997. He graduated from Stanford Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Robert McGuiness.

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Stephanie Clarke was named to the Contra Costa County Superior Court. Clarke has been a staff attorney at the First District Appellate Project, an adjunct professor at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco and a deputy state public defender. She worked in the Law Office of Cesari, Werner and Moriarty and at Bledsoe, Cathcart, Leahy, Starr and Diestel. She was a deputy state public defender in Connecticut and taught at the University of Connecticut School of Law before moving to California. She graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Jill Fannin.

Raj Singh Badhesha was named to the Fresno County Superior Court. Badhesha has was chief assistant city attorney in Fresno since 2022 and served in several roles there since 2012. He was an associate at Baker Manock & Jensen from 2008 to 2012. Badhesha graduated from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Jon N. Kapetan.

Donald Griffith was named to an interim appointment as a judge in Kern County. Griffith has been a court commissioner there since 2022. He was a sole practitioner from 1995 to 2021 and an associate at the Law Office of Anthony C. Caronna from 1994 to 1995 and at McLaughlin, Burford & Arias from 1993 to 1994. He graduated from California Southern Law School. Griffith fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Stephen Schuett. The Governor's appointment allows him to immediately assume the position he was otherwise elected to begin in January 2025.

Victor Avila was named to an interim appointment as a judge in Los Angeles County. Avila has been a senior deputy district attorney in the major crimes division of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office since 2012 and has served the Office in several other roles since 1999. He was a deputy district attorney in Ventura County from 1997 to 1999. Avila graduated from Boston College Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Malcolm H. Mackey. The Governor's appointment allows him to immediately assume the position he was otherwise elected to begin in January 2025.

Allison Westfahl Kong was named to the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Westfahl Kong has was chief of ethics and post-conviction review at the U.S. attorney's office for the Central District of California since 2023 and served in several roles as an assistant U.S. attorney there since 2012. She was a trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, Fraud Section from 2016 to 2017. She clerked for Judge Robert A. Katzmann at the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals from 2011 to 2012 and for Judge Jed S. Rakoff at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 2010 to 2011. She graduated from the New York University School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Zaven V. Sinanian.

Ahtossa Fullerton was named to the Marin County Superior Court. Fullerton has been a partner at Wasacz Hilley & Fullerton LLP since 2010. She was a sole practitioner from 2005 to 2009 and an associate at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP from 2000 to 2003 and at Lanahan & Reilley LLP from 1998 to 2000. Fullerton graduated from the Santa Clara University School of Law and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Santa Clara University School of Business. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Beverly Wood.

Mason Brawley was named to the Merced County Superior Court. Brawley has been a sole practitioner since 2023. He was a partner at Murphy & Brawley LLP from 2014 to 2022 and an associate at Berliner Cohen from 2013 to 2014 and at Temmerman, Cilley & Kohlmann LLP from 2007 to 2013. He was an external auditor for Ernst & Young LLP from 2001 to 2004 and has been a licensed Certified Public Accountant since 2004. Brawley graduated from Santa Clara University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge David W. Moranda.

Courtney Abril was named to the Nevada County Superior Court. Abril has been a sole practitioner since 2019. She served in several roles at the Yuba County Counsel's Office from 2016 to 2019, including chief deputy county counsel and county counsel. She was an attorney in the Nevada County Public Defender's Office from 2006 to 2016 and a legal research assistant in the Sacramento County Public Defender's Office from 2005 to 2006. Abril graduated from Gonzaga University School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Linda J. Sloven.

Eileen Solis was named to the Orange County Superior Court. Solis has been a court commissioner there since 2022. She was a sole practitioner from 2021 to 2022 and an attorney at Amezcua-Moll & Associates PC from 2018 to 2021 and at Brown & Charbonneau LLP from 2005 to 2018 and at Currier & Solis from 2000 to 2005. She was a staff attorney at Orange County Employees Retirement System from 1999 to 2000 and an associate at the Law Offices of Ronald B. Schwartz from 1990 to 1999. Solis graduated from the Western State College of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Matthew S. Anderson.

Jaya Badiga was named to the Sacramento County Superior Court. Badiga has was a court commissioner there since 2022. She was a sole practitioner from 2018 to 2022 and an attorney at the California Department of Health Care Services in 2020 and at California Governor's Office of Emergency Services in 2018. Badiga was managing attorney at WEAVE Inc. from 2013 to 2018 and attorney advisor at Galaxy Architects & Infrastructure from 2010 to 2013. She was staff counsel at the California Employment Development Department from 2009 to 2010. Badiga graduated from the Santa Clara University School of Law and a Master of Arts degree in International Relations and International Communications from Boston University. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Robert S. Lapham.

Amy Holliday was named to serve in an interim appointment as a judge in the Sacramento County Superior Court. Holliday has been an assistant chief deputy in the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office since 2020 and has served in several roles there since 2002, including supervising deputy district attorney. She was an associate at Riggio, Mordaunt & Kelly from 2001 to 2002 and at Diehl, Steinheimer, Riggio, Haydel and Mordaunt from 1999 to 2000 and at the Law Offices of Patrick D. Riddle from 1998 to 1999. Holliday graduated from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Allen H. Sumner. The Governor's appointment allows her to immediately assume the position she was otherwise elected to begin in January 2025.

Allison Zuvela, was named to the Sacramento County Superior Court. Zuvela has was a retired annuitant deputy public defender at the Yolo County Public Defender's Office since 2023 and served in several positions there from 2003 to 2021, including chief deputy public defender and assistant chief deputy public defender. She was a deputy public defender in Tulare County from 1995 to 2003. Zuvela graduated from California Western School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Sharon A. Lueras.

Kathleen Curtis was named to the San Bernardino County Superior Court. Curtis has was a deputy district attorney in San Bernardino County since 2012. She graduated from the American University, Washington College of Law and a Master of Public Administration degree from California State University, San Bernardino. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Lorenzo R. Balderrama.

Toni Dean Segura was named to the San Diego County Superior Court. Segura has has been a court commissioner there since 2023. She was a deputy public defender at the San Diego County Primary Public Defender's Office from 2017 to 2023 and was an associate at Skaja, Daniels, Lister & Permito LLP from 2014 to 2017 and a sole practitioner from 2004 to 2007. She was a deputy public defender at the San Diego County Primary Public Defender's Office from 1996 to 2001. Segura graduated from California Western School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Desiree A. Bruce-Lyle.

Blair Soper was named to the San Diego County Superior Court. Soper has been a deputy public defender in San Diego County since 2006. He graduated from the University of San Diego School of Law. Soper fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Peter L. Gallagher.

Ethel Hernandez was named to the Ventura County Superior Court. Hernandez has been a senior deputy district attorney in Ventura County since 2012. She was a deputy district attorney pro tem at the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office in 2011 and was a law clerk there in 2010. Hernandez was a law clerk at the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in 2010. She graduated from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law and a Master of Law degree from Lamar University. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Bruce A. Young.

Clara Levers was named to serve in an interim appointment as a judge in the Yolo County Superior Court. Levers has been a deputy state attorney general since 2008. She was an associate at Murphy Pearson Bradley & Feeney from 2006 to 2008 and at the Law Offices of Johnny Griffin from 2003 to 2006. Levers graduated from UC Davis School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge David Rosenberg. The Governor's appointment allows her to immediately assume the position she was otherwise elected to begin in January 2025.

The compensation for each of these positions is $238,479.