Governor Gavin Newsom today announced his nomination of Judge Victor A. Rodriguez as Associate Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Three. The Governor also announced his appointment of 22 Superior Court Judges, which include two in Contra Costa County.

ACBA member Judge Victor A. Rodriguez, 46, of Oakland, has been nominated to serve as an Associate Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Three. He has served as a Judge of the Alameda County Superior Court since 2018. Judge Rodriguez served as Supervising Staff Attorney for the Honorable Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar at the California Supreme Court from 2015 to 2018, where he served as Judicial Staff Attorney for the Honorable Carlos R. Moreno, Goodwin H. Liu and Carol A. Corrigan from 2006 to 2015. He served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Consuelo B. Marshall at the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California from 2005 to 2006. Judge Rodriguez was a Skadden Fellow at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund from 2003 to 2005. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and a Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies from California State University, Long Beach. Judge Rodriguez fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Justice Teri L. Jackson as Presiding Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Five. 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.

Contra Costa

Kirk J. Athanasiou, 45, of Berkeley, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Contra Costa County Superior Court. Athanasiou has served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office since 2006. He served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Tulare County Public Defender’s Office from 2005 to 2006. Athanasiou earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John H. Sugiyama.

Jennifer D. Lee, 51, of Alameda, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Contra Costa County Superior Court. Lee has served as a Court Commissioner at the Contra Costa County Superior Court since 2019. She was Security Counsel at Apple Inc. from 2018 to 2019. Lee served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office from 2006 to 2018, as a Deputy City Attorney at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office from 2002 to 2006 and as a Deputy Public Defender at the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office from 2001 to 2002. She served as a Staff Attorney at Legal Aid of Marin in 2000 and as a Deputy Public Defender at the Centre County, PA Public Defender’s Office from 1997 to 1999. Lee earned a Juris Doctor degree from Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the removal of Judge John T. Laettner.