Big news from the Governor’s Office today – new judicial officers in Alameda, San Francisco and San Mateo Counties. Some familiar names are on the list, including former ACBA President Stephanie Sato!
Alameda County Superior Court
Former ACBA President Stephanie K. Sato, 45, of Alameda, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Alameda County Superior Court. Sato has served as an Administrative Law Judge for the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board since 2021. She was a Sole Practitioner from 2014 to 2020. Sato was an Associate at the Law Offices of Peter G. Loewenstein from 2011 to 2014 and at Stonehouse & Silva from 2007 to 2011. She was a Contracts Associate at IT Ascent from 2006 to 2007. Sato earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Santa Clara University School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Armando G. Cuellar. Sato is a Democrat.
Kelli M. Evans, 52, of Oakland, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Alameda County Superior Court. Evans has served as Chief Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary in the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2020, where she served as Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary for Criminal Justice from 2019 to 2020. Evans served as Special Assistant to the Attorney General at the California Department of Justice from 2017 to 2019 and was Senior Director for the Administration of Justice at the California State Bar from 2014 to 2017. She was Associate Director of the ACLU of Northern California from 2010 to 2013, where she served as an Attorney from 1995 to 1998. She was a Partner at Independent Assessment & Monitoring LLP from 2006 to 2010 and an Associate at Relman and Associates from 2001 to 2004. Evans served as a Senior Trial Attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from 1998 to 2001 and as an Assistant Public Defender at the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office in 1995. She has served as a member of federal court-appointed monitoring teams for the Oakland and Cleveland Police Departments. Evans earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Thomas C. Rogers. Evans is a Democrat.
San Mateo County Superior Court
Chief Assistant District Attorney Kevin E. Dunleavy, 58, of Millbrae, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Mateo County Superior Court. Dunleavy has served as Chief Assistant District Attorney at the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office since 2009, where he has served in several positions since 1988, including Senior Deputy District Attorney. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. Dunleavy fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Clifford V. Cretan. He is a Democrat.
San Francisco Superior Court
A. Marisa Chun, 56, of San Francisco, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Francisco County Superior Court. Chun has been a Partner at Crowell & Moring LLP since 2019. She was a Partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP from 2013 to 2019. Chun served as a U.S. Deputy Associate Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice from 2009 to 2013. She was a Partner and Associate at Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP from 1999 to 2009. Chun served as Senior Trial Attorney and Trial Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division from 1992 to 1996 and as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Robert Boochever at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit from 1991 to 1992. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Edward A. Torpoco. Chun is a Democrat.
Presiding Justice Named for the First District Court of Appeal, Division Three
In other judicial news, former Alameda County Superior Court Judge Justice Alison M. Tucher, 58, of Berkeley, has been nominated to serve as Presiding Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Three. She has served as an Associate Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Four since 2018. Justice Tucher served as a Judge at the Alameda County Superior Court from 2014 to 2018. She was a Partner at Morrison and Foerster from 2004 to 2014 and a Litigation Associate there from 1998 to 2003. She served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office from 1995 to 1998 and was Assistant Director of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s White House Security Review Team from 1994 to 1995. Justice Tucher served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable David H. Souter at the U.S. Supreme Court and for the Honorable William A. Norris at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School and a Master of Arts degree in engineering from the University of Cambridge. Justice Tucher fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Peter J. Siggins. This position requires the completion of a review by the State Bar’s Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation and confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments. The Commission consists of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Senior Presiding Justice J. Anthony Kline. Justice Tucher is a Democrat.