Court News
Our weekly roundup of local court news. This post will be updated as new information comes across our desks.
Proposed Changes to Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara Local Rules of Court: Please be informed that proposed changes to the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara Local Rules of Court are now available for comment on the Court’s website – https://www.scscourt.org/general_info/rules/proposed.shtml
New Judicial Appointments
ACBA members Veronica Rios Reddick and Commissioner Ruben Sundeen have been appointed to the Alameda County Superior Court by Governor Newsom.
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 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.
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.
Friday, October 7, 2022: 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.
For the latest court news, please visit the courts’ websites, or follow along on the ACBA blog
Please contact valerie@acbanet.org with any updates that are missing.
For the latest court news, please visit the courts’ websites, or follow along on the ACBA blog
Please contact valerie@acbanet.org with any updates that are missing.