SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced his nomination of Justice Therese Stewart to serve as Presiding Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Two; Judge Gregory Weingart to serve as an Associate Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division One; and Judge Victor Viramontes to serve as an Associate Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Eight. The Governor also announced his appointment of 16 Superior Court Judges,  which include two in Alameda County; one in Contra Costa County; three in Los Angeles County; one in Madera County; two in Riverside County; two in Sacramento County; one in San Bernardino County; two in Santa Barbara County; one in Santa Cruz County; and one in Tuolumne County.

First District Court of Appeal

Justice Therese Stewart, 65, of San Francisco, has been nominated to serve as Presiding Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Two. The first openly lesbian justice to serve on the California Court of Appeal, she has served as an Associate Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Two since 2014. Justice Stewart served as Chief Deputy City Attorney at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office from 2002 to 2014. She was a Director at Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk and Rabkin PC from 1988 to 2002, where she was an Associate from 1982 to 1988. She served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Phyllis A. Kravitch at the U.S. Court of Appeal, Eleventh Circuit from 1981 to 1982. Justice Stewart argued on behalf of the City and County of San Francisco in the trilogy of cases advocating for marriage equality for LGBT Californians in the California Supreme Court. She also led the team of San Francisco deputy city attorneys intervening as plaintiffs in the federal case challenging Proposition 8. Justice Stewart earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Presiding Justice J. Anthony Kline. This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, which consists of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Senior Presiding Justice Jim Humes. Justice Stewart is a Democrat.

Second District Court of Appeal

Judge Gregory Weingart, 56, of San Marino, has been nominated to serve as an Associate Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division One. He has served as a Judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2020 and from 2018 to 2019. He served as a Justice Pro Tem at the Second District Court of Appeal, Division One from 2019 to 2020. Judge Weingart was a Partner at Munger, Tolles and Olson LLP from 2004 to 2018, where he was an Associate from 1992 to 1995. He served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California from 1995 to 2004. Judge Weingart served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable William M. Byrne Jr. at the U.S. District Court, Central District of California from 1991 to 1992. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School. Judge Weingart fills the vacancy created by the removal of Justice Jeffrey Johnson. This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, which consists of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Senior Presiding Justice Arthur Gilbert. Judge Weingart is a Democrat.

Judge Victor Viramontes, 49, of Whittier, has been nominated to serve as an Associate Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Eight. He has served as a Judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2017. Judge Viramontes was National Senior Counsel at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund from 2010 to 2017, where he was a Staff Attorney from 2001 to 2005. He was Senior Trial Attorney at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 2008 to 2010, where he was a Trial Attorney from 2005 to 2008. Judge Viramontes was an Associate at Heller Ehrman White and McAuliffe from 2000 to 2001. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School. Judge Viramontes fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Justice Maria Stratton as Presiding Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Eight. This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, which consists of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Senior Presiding Justice Arthur Gilbert. Judge Viramontes is a Democrat.

The compensation for each of these positions is $262,198.

Alameda County Superior Court

Veronica Rios Reddick, 39, of Hayward, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Alameda County Superior Court. Rios Reddick has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office since 2010. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Allan D. Hymer. Rios Reddick is a Democrat.

Ruben Sundeen, 57, of Oakland, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Alameda County Superior Court. Sundeen has served as a Commissioner at the Alameda County Superior Court since 2019. He was Managing Partner at Sundeen and Salinas from 2017 to 2019 and from 1998 to 2004. Sundeen was Managing Parter at Sundeen, Salinas and Pyle from 2005 to 2017 and at Sundeen Salinas Rommel and Pyle from 2004 to 2005. He was an Associate at Stuckey Law Corporation from 1996 to 1998. Sundeen earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Victor Rodriguez to the Court of Appeal. Sundeen is a Democrat.

Contra Costa County Superior Court

Ayana Young, 46, of Hercules, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Contra Costa County Superior Court. She has served as Commissioner at the Contra Costa County Superior Court since 2021. Young was a Sole Practitioner from 2008 to 2021. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Law. Young fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Judy Johnson. She is registered without party preference.

Los Angeles County Superior Court

Lauren Lofton, 40, of La Crescenta, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Lofton has been an Attorney at Yoka & Smith LLP since 2011. She was an Attorney at Bonne, Bridges, Mueller, O’Keefe & Nichols from 2007 to 2011. Lofton earned a Juris Doctor degree from Pepperdine University School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Cynthia L. Ulfig. Lofton is registered without party preference.

Cathy Ostiller, 51, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Ostiller has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division, Major Frauds Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California since 2012 and served from 2000 to 2012 in the Criminal Division, General Crimes Section and Civil Division, Civil Fraud Section. Ostiller served as a Trial Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Fraud Section in 2000 and was an Associate at Sidley & Austin from 1995 to 1999. She was a Law Clerk for the Honorable James Ideman at the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California from 1994 to 1995. Ostiller earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Leslie Brown. Ostiller is a Democrat.

Adrian Gidaya Roxas, 43, of Rancho Palos Verdes, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Roxas has been a Partner at Roxas Law, APC since 2020.  He served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office from 2007 to 2020. Roxas was an Associate at the Law Office of Linda W. Lau from 2004 to 2007. Roxas earned a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Maame Frimpong to the federal bench. Roxas is a Democrat.

Madera County Superior Court

Katherine Rigby, 39, of Fresno, has been appointed to serve in an interim appointment as a Judge in the Madera County Superior Court. Rigby has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office since 2017. She was an Associate at Gilmore Magness Janisse PC from 2013 to 2017 and at Richard A. Ciummo & Associates from 2011 to 2013. Rigby earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Mitchell C. Rigby. The Governor’s appointment allows her to immediately assume the position she was otherwise elected to begin in January 2023. Rigby is registered without party preference.

Riverside County Superior Court

Magdalena Cohen, 40, of Riverside, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Riverside County Superior Court. Cohen has served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Law Offices of the Riverside County Public Defender since 2007. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Southwestern Law School. Cohen fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Sunshine Sykes to the federal bench. She is a Democrat.

Gary Polk, 39, of Cerritos, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Riverside County Superior Court. Polk has served as a Senior Deputy District Attorney at the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office since 2016 and has served in several roles there since 2008. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Chapman University School of Law. Polk fills the vacancy of a new position created on July 1, 2022. He is a Democrat.

Sacramento County Superior Court

Philip Ferrari, 52, of Sacramento, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Sacramento County Superior Court. Ferrari has served as a Senior Assistant Attorney General at the Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse in the California Attorney General’s Office since 2021, where he was Special Assistant to the Attorney General from 2019 to 2021. He served in several roles at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California from 2002 to 2019, including as First Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Criminal Division. Ferrari served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Phyllis Hamilton at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California from 2001 to 2002 and was an Associate at McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enersen from 1996 to 2001. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Laurie Earl to the Court of Appeal. Ferrari is a Democrat.

Satnam Rattu, 42, of Folsom, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Sacramento County Superior Court. He has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office since 2008. Rattu was a Law Clerk at Freidberg & Parker from 2006 to 2007. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Rattu fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Kevin R. Culhane. He is a Democrat.

San Bernardino County Superior Court

Michael Dauber, 64, of Claremont, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Bernardino County Superior Court. Dauber has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office since 2008. He was Assistant Director of the Riverside County Code Enforcement Department from 2007 to 2008. Dauber was a Deputy District Attorney at the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office from 2002 to 2007 and a Deputy District Attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office from 1998 to 2002. He served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office from 1994 to 1998. Dauber earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Elia V. Pirozzi. Dauber is a Democrat.

Santa Barbara County Superior Court

Stephen P. Foley, 51, of Los Olivos, has been appointed to serve in an interim appointment as a Judge in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court. Foley has served as a Commissioner at the Santa Barbara County Superior Court since 2018. He served as Supervising Deputy District Attorney at the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office from 2004 to 2018 and was an Instructor at Allan Hancock Community College from 2005 to 2018. Foley served in several positions at the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office from 1996 to 2004, including Senior Deputy District Attorney and Deputy District Attorney. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge James Voysey. The Governor’s appointment allows him to immediately assume the position he was otherwise elected to begin in January 2023. Foley is a Democrat.

Denise Hippach, 46, of Grover Beach, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court. Hippach has been Senior Deputy County Counsel at the Santa Barbara County Counsel’s Office since 2018. She served as a Deputy Attorney General at the Idaho Attorney General’s Office from 2016 to 2018. Hippach was Deputy Prosecuting Attorney at the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office from 2015 to 2016 and a Panel Attorney at the Judicial Council of California’s Court-Appointed Program from 2014 to 2018. She was a Deputy County Counsel at the Los Angeles County Counsel’s Office from 2008 to 2014, Staff Attorney for Los Angeles Dependency Lawyers from 2007 to 2008 and Deputy District Attorney at the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office from 2004 to 2006. Hippach earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Southern California School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge James E. Herman. Hippach is a Democrat.

Santa Cruz County Superior Court

Jordan Sheinbaum, 52, of Santa Cruz, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Santa Cruz County Superior Court. He has served as Assistant County Counsel and Litigation Coordinator in the Santa Cruz County Counsel’s Office since 2012. Sheinbaum served as Deputy County Counsel in the Santa Barbara County Counsel’s Office from 2006 to 2012. He was an Associate at Bradley & Gmelich LLP from 2003 to 2006 and at the Law Offices of Marvin L. Rudnick from 1999 to 2003. Sheinbaum earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John Salazar. Sheinbaum is a Democrat.

Tuolumne County Superior Court

Hallie Gorman Campbell, 41, of Sonora, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Tuolumne County Superior Court. Campbell has served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Tuolumne County Public Defender’s Office since 2011. She served in several roles at the California Parole Advocacy Program from 2010 to 2011. Campbell earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Donald Segerstrom Jr. Campbell is a Democrat.

The compensation for each of these positions is $229,125.

###