Governor Newsom announces judicial appointments 6.2.2026

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom announced his nomination of four Court of Appeal Justices: Justice Tari Cody, to the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Six, Judge Nicholas Daum to the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Four, Judge Sonny S. Sandhu to the Fifth District Court of Appeal, and Judge Charles Adams to the Sixth District Court of Appeal.

The Governor also announced his appointment of eleven Superior Court Judges: two in Contra Costa County, four in Los Angeles County, one in Monterey County, one in Napa County, one in Santa Clara County, one in Tuolumne County, and one in Ventura County.

Second District Court of Appeal, Division Six

 

Tari Cody, of Ventura County, has been nominated to serve as Presiding Justice in the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Six, where she has served as an Associate Justice since 2023. Cody has served as a Judge in the Ventura County Superior Court from 2000 to 2023. She was an Associate at Lemieux & O’Neill from 1994 to 2000. She was a Partner at Nordman, Cormany, Hair & Compton from 1990 to1994 where she also worked as an Associate from 1985 to 1990. Cody received a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Arthur Gilbert. This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, which consists of Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Senior Presiding Justice Francis Rothschild. Cody is a Democrat.

Second District Court of Appeal, Division Four

 

Nicholas Daum, of Los Angeles County, has been nominated to serve as an Associate Justice in the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Four. Daum has served as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2022. He was an Associate and Partner at Kendall Brill & Kelly from 2009 to 2022. He was an Associate at Susman Godfrey from 2004 to 2009. Daum received a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Audrey B. Collins. This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, which consists of Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Senior Presiding Justice Francis Rothschild. Daum is a Democrat.

Fifth District Court of Appeal

 

Sonny S. Sandhu, of Stanislaus County, has been nominated to serve as an Associate Justice in the Fifth District Court of Appeal. Sandhu has served as a Judge in the Stanislaus County Superior Court since 2018, where he has also served as Presiding Judge for the last year. He served multiple roles at the Stanislaus County Public Defender’s Office including as the Public Defender from 2017 to 2018, the Chief Deputy Public Defender from 2015 to 2017, and as a Deputy Public Defender from 2003 to 2015. Sandhu received a Juris Doctor degree from The Ohio State University College of Law. He will fill the vacancy to be created by the retirement of Justice Rosendo Peňa, Jr., effective June 29, 2026. This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, which consists of Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Senior Presiding Justice Brad Hill. Sandhu is a Democrat.

Sixth District Court of Appeal

 

Charles Adams, of Santa Clara County, has been nominated to serve as an Associate Justice in the Sixth District Court of Appeal. Adams has served as a Judge in the Santa Clara County Superior Court since 2018. He served as an Administrative Law Clerk at the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California from 2011 to 2018. Adams served as a Staff Attorney and Legal Research Attorney at the Santa Clara County Superior Court from 2006 to 2011. He was an Associate at Voss & Associates from 2005 to 2006 and from 2003 to 2004. Adams was an Associate at McDermott & McNamara from 2004 to 2005. Adams received a Juris Doctor degree from Pepperdine University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Patricia Bamattre-Manoukian. This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, which consists of Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Senior Presiding Justice Mary Greenwood. Adams is a Democrat.

The compensation for each of these positions is $280,052

Contra Costa Superior Court 

 

Matthew Caron, of Marin County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Contra Costa County Superior Court. Caron has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office since 2010. He served as a Deputy City Attorney at the San Diego Office of the City Attorney from 2007 to 2010. He was an Associate at Lincoln, Gustafson & Cercos from 2006 to 2007. Caron received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Mary Ann O’Malley. Caron is a Democrat.

 

 

Jennifer Logue, of Contra Costa County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Contra Costa County Superior Court. Logue has served as the City Attorney at the Mountain View City Attorney’s Office since 2022. She served in multiple roles at the Oakland City Attorney’s Office including as Supervising Attorney from 2019 to 2022, Senior Attorney from 2012 to 2019, and Deputy City Attorney from 2006 to 2010. Logue worked as an Associate at Leone, Alberts and Duus from 2010 to 2012. She served as a Staff Attorney at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2001 to 2006. Logue worked as an Associate at Cohen & Cohen from 1999 to 2000. Logue received a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Edward Weil. Logue is a Democrat.

Los Angeles Superior Court

 

David Perkiss, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Perkiss has served as a Supervising Research Attorney at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2019. He served as an Appellate Court Attorney at the Second District Court of Appeal, Division One from 2018 to 2019. He served in various roles at the Los Angeles County Superior Court including as Supervising Research Attorney in 2018, as a Research Attorney from 2016 to 2018, and as a Law Clerk from 2014 to 2016. He was an Associate at Lyon Law from 2013 to 2014. Perkiss received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Robert S. Wada. Perkiss is a Democrat.

 

 

Mahin Salehi, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Salehi has served as a Commissioner at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2024. She served as a Deputy Alternate Public Defender at the Los Angeles Alternate Public Defender’s Office from 2010 to 2024. She was a Staff Attorney at the Center for Health Care Rights from 2008 to 2010 and at the Disability Rights Legal Center at Loyola Law School from 2007 to 2008. She served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Los Angeles Public Defender’s Office from 2004 to 2007. Salehi received a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Shellie L. Samuels. Salehi is a Democrat. 

 

 

Adam Romero, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Romero has served as the Chief Deputy Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations since 2025. He served as a Deputy Director of the California Civil Rights Department from 2020 to 2025. Romero was an Adjunct Professor and Williams Institute Legal Scholarship Director and Senior Counsel at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law from 2014 to 2020. He was a Senior Associate at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr from 2010 to 2014. Romero served as a Law Clerk in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York from 2009 to 2010 and in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2008 to 2009. Romero received a Juris Doctor Degree from Yale Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Gail Killefer. Romero is a Democrat.

 

 

Jennifer Salzman Romano, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Romano has been a Partner at Crowell & Moring since 2009. She held various roles at Folger Levin & Kahn including as a Partner from 2006 to 2009 and as an Associate from 1998 to 2005. Romano served as a Law Clerk for the U.S. District Court, Central District of California from 1997 to 1998. Romano received a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the death of Judge Michael E. Pastor. Romano is a Democrat.

Monterey Superior Court

 

Elizabeth Leitzinger, of Monterey County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Monterey County Superior Court. Leitzinger has been a Shareholder at Fenton & Keller since 2016. She was an Associate at Fenton & Keller from 2012 to 2016 and at Goldstein & Associates from 2008 to 2012. Leitzinger received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Julie R. Culver. Leitzinger is a Democrat.

Napa Superior Court 

 

Veronica Juarez, of Yolo County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Napa County Superior Court. Juarez has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Napa County District Attorney’s Office since 2021. She served as a Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice from 2019 to 2021. Juarez served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Solano County District Attorney’s Office from 2007 to 2019. She served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Yuba County Public Defender’s Office from 2004 to 2007. Juarez received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Mark Boessenecker. Juarez is a Democrat.

Santa Clara Superior Court

 

Lara Hoffman, of San Mateo County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Hoffman has been a Senior Staff Attorney and Lecturer in Law at Stanford Law School since 2020. She served as a Deputy Federal Public Defender at the Central District of California from 2012 to 2020. Hoffman served as a Law Clerk at various courts including at the U.S. District Court, Central District of California from 2009 to 2012 and at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2008 to 2009. Hoffman received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Roberta S. Hayashi. Hoffman is a Democrat.

Tuolumne Superior Court

 

Sarah Carrillo, of Tuolumne County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Tuolumne County Superior Court. Carrillo has served as Assistant General Counsel at the California State Association of Counties since 2026. She was a Senior Attorney at White Brenner from 2025 to 2026. Carrillo served in various roles at the Tuolumne County Counsel’s Office including as the County Counsel from 2013 to 2025 and as a Deputy County Counsel from 2005 to 2013. She served as a Deputy Probation Officer at the Tuolumne County Probation Department from 2004 to 2005. Carrillo was an Associate at various firms including at Brunn & Flynn in 2004 and at the Law Office of Mark Valen from 2003 to 2004. Carrillo received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Kevin M. Seibert. Carrillo is a Democrat.

Ventura Superior Court

 

Jacquelyn Ruffin, of Ventura County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Ventura County Superior Court. Ruffin has held various roles at Myers Widders Gibson Jones & Feingold including as a Partner since 2018, as an Associate from 2012 to 2017, and as a Contract Attorney from 2011 to 2012. She worked as a Law Clerk at Ferguson Case Orr Paterson in 2011. Ruffin received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge David M. Hirsch. Ruffin is a Democrat.

The compensation for each of these positions is $244,727