On August 7th, Governor Newsom of California appointed three judges to the Court of Appeals and 18 judges to the Superior Courts of 10 counties. Among these 21 judges, 18 are registered Democrats, and the remaining 3 are registered as independents. Governor Newsom has appointed a total of 635 judges in his over six years in office, accounting for nearly 30% of the total number of judges in the state of California.
California’s judicial system is the largest in the United States, consisting of three levels of courts: the California Supreme Court, 6 Courts of Appeal, and 58 Superior Courts, with approximately 2,287 judges.
The California Supreme Court is composed of 7 justices, with Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero and two associate justices appointed by Governor Newsom.
Newsom appointed 10 Superior Court judges in March, 3 Court of Appeals judges and 12 Superior Court judges in May, 16 Superior Court judges in June, and recently appointed 21 more judges, bringing the total to 59 judges.
In the May appointments, Helen Zukin was appointed as Chief Justice of the Fourth Division of the Second District Court of Appeals in Los Angeles County, while Mark Hanasono and Armen Tamzarian were appointed as associate justices in the Second District, all three of whom are Democrats.
In this month’s appointments, Matthew Scherb was appointed as an associate justice of the Second District Court of Appeals in Los Angeles County, Corey Lee in the Fourth District in San Bernardino County, and Arlan L. Harrell in the Fifth District in Fresno County. The former is registered as an independent, while the latter two are Democrats.
These appointments must be confirmed by the California Judicial Appointments Commission, which consists of three members, including Chief Justice Guerrero, State Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Senior Justice Arthur Gilbert of the Second District Court of Appeals. After being appointed, judges must win retention in the next gubernatorial election in order to continue serving after their term ends.
According to the Governor’s office, since taking office in January 2019, Newsom has appointed 576 judges out of 1,898 applicants, including 131 in 2024. Over half of the appointed judges are women, and over half belong to Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islander backgrounds.
During his tenure, Newsom has appointed 635 judges, constituting nearly 28% of all judges in California. Due to term limits, Newsom will not be able to seek re-election as governor after the midterm election in November 2026. However, with over a year until the election, it is expected that Newsom’s judicial appointments will reach one-third of all judges in the state.
In comparison, the federal court system in the United States has a total of 890 judgeships, including the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeals, District Courts, Federal Claims Court, International Trade Court, and territorial courts.
The California Supreme Court, under the oversight of the California Judicial Council, has the authority to review and overturn decisions of the Court of Appeals. The court is located in San Francisco but can hold sessions in Los Angeles and Sacramento.
The Supreme Court consists of 7 justices, including 1 Chief Justice and 6 associate justices, each serving a 12-year term.
The Court of Appeals serves as the intermediate appellate court in California and is overseen by the Commission on Judicial Performance. Its decisions are binding on all trial courts. The Court of Appeals is divided into 6 districts: the First in San Francisco, Second in Los Angeles, Third in Sacramento, Fourth in San Diego, Fifth in Fresno, and Sixth in San Jose.
There are 105 judges in the California Court of Appeals, selected through elections and gubernatorial appointments. The Governor can fill vacancies through appointments as stipulated by the California Constitution, with judges serving 6-year terms and earning an annual salary of around $280,000.
The Superior Court of California is a trial court with general jurisdiction overseen by the Judicial Appointments Commission. Each of the 58 counties in California has a Superior Court that handles all types of cases.
There are approximately 2,175 judges, commissioners, referees, assigned judges, and temporary judges in the Superior Courts, typically elected in each county but also subject to gubernatorial appointments. Judges serve 6-year terms and earn an annual salary of around $245,000.
The efforts by Governor Newsom in appointing judges have been significant, shaping the judiciary landscape in California. The diversity and experience of the appointed judges reflect the state’s commitment to a fair and impartial judicial system, reflecting the vibrant and dynamic legal environment in one of the largest states in the U.S.