July 21, 2008

Schwarzenegger appoints 30 judges

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is slowly rolling out appointments to the state's bench today. Here's a list of who he has appointed (updated throughout the day):

The brief bios are courtesy of the Governor's Office:

Alameda County Superior Court
Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, 43, of Piedmont, was a member and then foreperson with the Grand Jury for Alameda County from 2005 until 2007. From 1991 to 2003, she was an associate, partner and then special counsel for Cooley Godward LLP. Rogers earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Texas, Austin School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Carlos G. Ynostroza. Rogers is a Democrat.

Stuart Hing, 51, of Pleasant Hill, has been a deputy district attorney with the Alameda County District Attorney's Office since 1985. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from McGeorge School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Sacramento. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Julie Conger. Hing is a Republican.

Butte County Superior Court.
Clare Keithley, 45, of Chico, has served as a deputy district attorney with the Butte County District Attorney's Office since 2006 and also previously from 1995 to 2004. She was a deputy district attorney with the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office from 2004 to 2006. Prior to that, Keithley was a contract attorney with the Law Offices of Barry and Harris from 1994 to 1995. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of San Diego School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley. She fills one of the new positions created by Senate Bill 56. Keithley is a Democrat.

Contra Costa County Superior Court
Trevor S. White, 58, of Orinda, has been a deputy district attorney with the Alameda County District Attorney's Office since 1983. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California Hastings College of Law, a Masters degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position on January 1, 2008. White is a Republican.

Madera County Superior Court
D. Lynn Jones, 39, of Madera, has been a deputy district attorney with the Madera County District Attorney's Office since 1996. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of San Diego School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Diego State University. She fills one of the new positions created by Senate Bill 56. Jones is a Republican.

Fresno County Superior Court.
Glenda S. Allen-Hill, 49, of Fresno, has served as a superior court commissioner with the Fresno County Superior Court since 1990. She previously served as a deputy district attorney with the Fresno County District Attorney's Office from 1988 to 1990 and held the same position with the Madera County District Attorney's Office from 1987 to 1988. Allen-Hill was a judge advocate general officer with the U.S. Air Force from 1984 to 1987. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Southern California Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Gary S. Austin. Allen-Hill is registered decline-to-state.

Kimberly A. Gaab, 41, of Fresno, has been an assistant U.S. attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice in Fresno since 2004. She was lead attorney with the State of California Court of Appeal in Fresno from 1999 to 2004. Gaab was an associate with Sagaser, Franson, Jamison & Jones from 1994 to 1999 and Jory, Peterson & Sagaser from 1993 to 1994. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Berkeley. She fills one of the new positions created by Senate Bill 56. Gaab is a Republican.

Interim judgeships in the Los Angeles County Superior Court
James N. Bianco, 45, of Los Angeles, has served as a court commissioner with the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2005. Also in 2005, he was of counsel for Overland Borenstein Scheper & Kim LLP. Previously, he was a sole practitioner from 1995 to 2005. He was a partner with Bahan & Bianco from 1994 to 1995 and served as a deputy city attorney with the Santa Monica City Attorney's Office from 1990 to 1994. From 1987 to 1990, Bianco was an associate with Weissburg and Aronson. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Southern California Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from State University of New York, Stony Brook. He was elected in June 2008 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Daniel S. Pratt. The Governor's appointment allows Bianco to immediately assume the position he was otherwise elected to begin in January 2009. Bianco is a Democrat.

Kathleen Blanchard, 39, of Los Angeles, has served as a deputy district attorney with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office since 1998. She previously worked as a deputy attorney general with the California Department of Justice from 1994 to 1997. Blanchard earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University. She was elected in June 2008 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael Luros. The Governor's appointment allows Blanchard to immediately assume the position she was otherwise elected to begin in January 2009. Blanchard is a Democrat.

Jared D. Moses, 46, of Los Angeles, has been a deputy district attorney with the Los Angeles County District Attorney since 1994. He was previously an associate with Hosie, Wes, McLaughlin & Sacks from 1993 to 1994. Moses earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University. He was elected in June 2008 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Dzintra Janavs. The Governor's appointment allows Moses to immediately assume the position he was otherwise elected to begin in January 2009. Moses is a Democrat.

Patricia Nieto, 57, of Los Angeles, has been a court commissioner with the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2007. She previously worked as a juvenile court delinquency referee for the Los Angeles County Superior Court from 2005 to 2007 and was a part-time hearing referee for the juvenile court of the Los Angeles County Superior Court from 2001 to 2004. From 1985 to 2004, Nieto was a sole practitioner and, from 1981 to 1985, she was an associate then partner with Nieto, Paz, Romero & Sanora. In addition, she was an associate and law clerk with Gomez, Paz, Rodriguez & Sanora from 1976 to 1981. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Southern California Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kansas. She was elected in June 2008 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Alan Kalkin. The Governor's appointment allows Nieto to immediately assume the position she was otherwise elected to begin in January 2009. Nieto is a Democrat.

San Diego County Superior Court
Carlos O. Armour, 57, of San Diego, has worked for the San Diego County District Attorney's Office since 1977 and currently serves as chief deputy district attorney. Previously, he was a sole practitioner from 1976 to 1977. Armour earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of San Diego School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Muhlenberg College. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position on April 2, 2008. Armour is a Republican.

Blaine K. Bowman, 44, of San Diego, has served as a deputy district attorney with the San Diego County District Attorney's Office since 1990. In 1990, he was a civil litigation attorney with Lindley, Lazar and Scales. Bowman earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of San Diego School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of San Diego. He was elected in June 2008 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Edward Huntington. The Governor's appointment allows Bowman to immediately assume the position he was otherwise elected to begin in January 2009. Bowman is a Republican.

Ana L. Espana, 52, of Bonita, has served as a deputy public defender with the San Diego County Public Defender's Office since 1988. She worked as an attorney for Jeffery Reilly from 1985 to 1988 and for Defenders, Incorporated from 1983 to 1985. Espana earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of San Diego School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of San Diego. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Janet Kintner. Espana is a Democrat.

Robert J. Kearney, 42, of San Marcos, has served as a deputy district attorney with the San Diego County District Attorney's Office since 1993. He served as a deputy attorney general with the California Office of the Attorney General in San Diego in 1996. Prior to that, Kearney was a deputy district attorney with the Mariposa County District Attorney's Office from 1992 to 1993. He was an attorney with the Law Offices of Donald Starchman from 1992 to 1993. Kearney earned a Juris Doctorate degree from McGeorge School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the Pacific. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Lillian Lim. Kearney is a Republican.

Robert C. Longstreth, 51, of San Diego, has worked as an associate, partner and of counsel at various times with DLA Piper since 1989. Longstreth was an associate with the Office of Independent Counsel from 1988 to 1989 and held the same position with Wilmer, Cutler and Pickering from 1987 to 1988. From 1983 to 1987, he was a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice. Longstreth earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Haverford College. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Marguerite Wagner. Longstreth is a Democrat.

Dwayne K. Moring, 45, of Chula Vista, has served as a deputy district attorney with the San Diego County District Attorney's Office since 2004. He previously served as a deputy alternate public defender for the San Diego County Alternate Public Defender's Office from 1994 to 2004 and was a law clerk, then deputy city attorney for the San Diego City Attorney's Office from 1991 to 1994. Moring earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Pepperdine University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pepperdine University. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Janis Sammartino. Moring is a Democrat.

Polly H. Shamoon, 42, of El Cajon, has been a deputy district attorney with the San Diego County District Attorney's Office since 1993. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of San Diego School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of San Diego. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Larrie R. Brainard. Shamoon is a Republican.

Sim Von Kalinowski, 53, of San Diego, has been a deputy city attorney with the San Diego City Attorney's Office since 1981. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from McGeorge School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of the Pacific. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position on February 1, 2008. Von Kalinowski is a Republican.

Sonoma County Superior Court
Virginia Marcoida, 56, of Santa Rosa, has served as a deputy public defender with the Sonoma County Public Defender's Office since 1985. She previously was an attorney with Porter & Dunham in Paris, France from 1983 to 1984. Marcoida was also a deputy public defender with the Santa Clara County Public Defender's Office from 1978 to 1982. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Santa Clara School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Santa Clara. She fills one of the new positions created by Senate Bill 56. Marcoida is a Democrat.

Stanislaus County Superior Court
John D.Freeland, 51, of Modesto, has been an associate and then a shareholder with Curtis & Arata since 1998. He was a sole practitioner from 1996 to 1998 and was a junior partner with Williams, Romanski, Polverari, & Skelton from 1988 to 1996. Freeland was an associate with Ericksen, Arbuthnot, Kilduff, Day & Lindstrom Incorporated from 1986 to 1988 and, from 1985 to 1986, with Roberts & Moore. He was an associate with the Law Offices of Loraine Wallace in 1985, the Law Offices of Roger Neathery from 1984 to 1985, and with Halston & Clark from 1983 to 1984. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the Santa Clara University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He fills one of the new positions created by Senate Bill 56. Freeland is a Democrat.

Nan C. Jacobs, 57, of Modesto, has been an attorney then partner with Crabtree, Schmidt & Jacobs since 1980. She previously was an attorney with Chessie System Law Department from 1979 to 1980. Jacobs earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Indiana University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University. She fills one of the new positions created by Senate Bill 56. Jacobs is a Democrat.

Interim judgeship in the Orange County Superior Court
Nicholas S. Thompson, 51, of Orange County, has served as a deputy district attorney for the Orange County District Attorney's Office since 1999. He has served as a judge advocate general officer with the U.S. Army Reserve since 2003. He previously served as a deputy public defender in the Orange County Public Defender's Office from 1986 to 1999 and, from 1982 to 1986, was a sole practitioner. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Western State College of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree from Western State University. He was elected in June 2008 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Richard E. Behn. The Governor's appointment allows Thompson to immediately assume the position he was otherwise elected to begin in January 2009. Thompson is a Republican.

Riverside County Superior Court
John G.Evans, 54, of Riverside, has worked as a sole practitioner since 2004 and from 1996 to 2002. From 2002 to 2004, he was a partner with the Law Offices of Evans & Plott LLP and, from 1985 to 1996, Evans worked for MacLachlan, Burford & Arias as an associate and partner. He was an associate with Furness, Flory & Middlebrook from 1981 to 1985 and held the same position with Harding & Miller from 1979 to 1981. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Citrus Belt Law School and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Riverside. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Lawrence W. Fry. Evans is a Republican.

Jorge C. Hernandez, 45, of Riverside, has worked as a sole practitioner since 1994 and as a conflicts panel lawyer for Criminal Defense Lawyers since 2002. Previously, he was a conflicts panel lawyer with the Criminal Defense Panel from 1994 to 2002. From 1989 to 1994, Hernandez was a deputy public defender with the Riverside Public Defenders Office. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Hastings College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Riverside. Hernandez fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge H. Morgan Dougherty. Hernandez is a Democrat.

L. Jackson Lucky IV, 39, of Riverside, has been a deputy district attorney with the Riverside County District Attorney's Office since 1994. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Southwestern University School of Law and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from DePaul University. Lucky fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Dallas S. Holmes. Lucky is a Republican.

Solano County Superior Court
Robert C.Fracchia, 54, of Vacaville, has served as a commissioner with the Solano County Superior Court since 2005. He was a sole practitioner from 1997 to 2005. Previously, Fracchia was a partner with Dobbins, Weir, Thompson and Stephenson from 1988 to 1997 and was an associate with Diepenbrock, Wulff, Plant and Hannegan in 1983. Fracchia was a deputy public defender with the Solano County Public Defender's Office from 1984 to 1988 and from 1979 to 1980. From 1980 to 1983, he was a partner with the Law Office of Ichikawa and Fracchia. Fracchia earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Irvine. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael E. Nail. Fracchia is a Democrat.

Alesia P. Jones, 43, of Oakland, has been an assistant city attorney with the Vallejo City Attorney's Office since 1994. She previously was a deputy city attorney with the Berkeley City Attorney's Office in 1994 and was an associate with Long & Levit LLP from 1991 to 1994. Jones earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley. Jones fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge R. Michael Smith. Jones is a Democrat.

Earl Bradley Nelson, 56, of Davis, has been a court commissioner since 2007. He was a sole practitioner from 1999 to 2007. Previously, Nelson worked as a partner with Hagler & Nelson from 1990 to 1999 and Power, Hagler & Nelson from 1982 to 1990. Nelson was a deputy public defender with the Solano County Public Defender's Office from 1980 to 1982 and a law clerk then associate with Honeychurch, Finkas and Villarreal in 1980. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position on June 30, 2008. Nelson is registered decline-to-state.

Ventura County Superior Court
Ellen Gay Conroy, 64, of Ventura, has served as a superior court commissioner with the Ventura County Superior Court since 2006. She owned Creative Dissolution Family Law Mediation from 2002 to 2003 and was a family law facilitator with the Ventura County Superior Court from 1997 to 2001. Conroy was an associate then partner with Taylor, McCord, from 1984 to 1996 and was a sole practitioner from 1982 to 1984. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Ventura College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Charles W. Campbell. Conroy is a Democrat.

Posted by Shane Goldmacher on July 21, 2008 11:54 AM