Fresno County (Fresno)
Career Highlights: Appointed as a judge to Fresno County Superior Court by Gov. Gavin Newsom, 2021; senior litigator, branch chief, assistant federal defender, Office of the Federal Defender, Eastern District of California, 2008-21; deputy public defender, Fresno County, 2005-08; associate, Wallin & Klarich, Tustin, 2004-05; associate, Fitzgerald, Alvarez & Ciummo, Fresno, 2003-04, 2005; clerk, Alameda County public defender's office, 2002-03
Law School: UC Davis School of Law
Career Highlights: Appointed as a judge to Fresno County Superior Court by Gov. Gavin Newsom, 2021; senior litigator, branch chief, assistant federal defender, Office of the Federal Defender, Eastern District of California, 2008-21; deputy public defender, Fresno County, 2005-08; associate, Wallin & Klarich, Tustin, 2004-05; associate, Fitzgerald, Alvarez & Ciummo, Fresno, 2003-04, 2005; clerk, Alameda County public defender's office, 2002-03
Law School: UC Davis School of Law
After spending 16 years as a criminal defender, Judge Charles J. Lee hopes that his experience will give him a sense of empathy on the bench.
"To have equal justice under the law, there has to be some understanding toward an individual's background to assess the moral culpability of any offense," said the Fresno County Superior Court judge in a phone interview.
"It's not to excuse the conduct but just... (continued)
