Newsom appoints 23 Superior Court judges across California

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday announced the appointment of 23 Superior Court judges across California, including four in Sacramento County and five in Los Angeles County.

The appointments fill vacancies created by judicial retirements and elevations to the state Court of Appeal. The new judges bring experience from prosecutors' offices, public defenders' offices, private law firms, government agencies and the courts.

In Alameda County, Newsom appointed Jesse Basbaum, a deputy attorney general with the California Department of Justice since 2022. Basbaum previously worked in the Alameda County Public Defender's Office and as an associate at Keker & Van Nest. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Stuart L. Hing.

David Olmos, a senior deputy district attorney in Fresno County since 2021, was appointed to the Fresno County Superior Court. He fills the vacancy created by Judge Amy Guerra's elevation to the Court of Appeal.

Los Angeles County received five permanent appointments. They include Noelle Brown Adams, a deputy district attorney since 2013; Edward Han, a deputy city attorney and Air Force Reserve assistant staff judge advocate; and Kristen Williams, who has served as a Superior Court commissioner since 2025 after 16 years as an assistant U.S. attorney.

The other Los Angeles appointments are Rebecca Goodrich, a deputy district attorney who also teaches as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California, and Arpa Stepanian, a private attorney and former Riverside County deputy public defender.

Newsom also appointed Joseph Stogner to the Mendocino County Superior Court. Stogner has maintained a private law practice since 1994 and has taught at Empire College of Law since 1995.

Brenda Pannell-Nash, a solo practitioner since 2009, was appointed to the Merced County Superior Court. In Orange County, Newsom appointed Eddie Flores, a private attorney who previously served as a senior deputy district attorney in the county from 1994 to 2006.

Sacramento County received four permanent appointments, including Michele Beckwith, who has served as a deputy legal affairs secretary in Newsom's office since 2025. Beckwith previously held several leadership positions in the U.S. Attorney's Office, including first assistant U.S. attorney.

The other Sacramento appointments are Jasmine Turner-Bond and Matthew Lee, both deputy legal affairs secretaries in the governor's office, and Alicia Hartley, a Superior Court commissioner who previously spent 18 years as an assistant public defender.

Other appointments include Laurel Hoehn in San Bernardino County, Maria Diaz in San Diego County, Kerry Krueger in San Joaquin County, Timothy Elliott in San Mateo County, Thomas Sprankling in Santa Clara County, Byron Beebe in Stanislaus County and Philip Bonoli in Ventura County.

The governor announced two interim appointments. Ann Maurer, chief assistant city attorney in Glendale, will join the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Heath Langle, a Sacramento County Superior Court commissioner, will take an interim position in Sacramento County.
Both interim appointments allow the judges to immediately assume positions they otherwise were elected to begin in January 2027.

The appointees' professional backgrounds reflect a broad range of legal experience, including criminal prosecution and defense, civil litigation, appellate work, government service and judicial administration.