Endorsement: Robert Mestman for Orange County Superior Court Office No. 13
Despite the unlucky office number, Orange County voters are lucky to have their pick of two highly qualified candidates for the bench in Superior Court Office No. 13.
Two experienced prosecutors in the Orange County District Attorney’s Office are facing off on the June 2nd ballot: Ann Cho and Robert Mestman. Both have earned the rating of “Well Qualified” from the Orange County Bar Association, indicating they possess “qualities and attributes considered to be worthy of special note as indicative of a superior fitness to perform the judicial function with a high degree of skill and effectiveness.”
Both also enjoy support from across the political spectrum. Cho has the backing of Republican Superior Don Wagner and progressive San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu. Mestman, meanwhile, has the support of Democratic Representatives Lou Correa and Mike Levin, alongside Republican State Sen. Kelly Seyarto, the vice chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee.
With two decades of experience each - Cho has been a prosecutor for 18 years and Mestman for 24 - whoever wins is likely to be a fair, impartial judge.
“As a veteran prosecutor with nearly two decades of experience, I have completed over 70 trials and prosecuted violent criminals, sexual offenders, and dangerous fraudsters,” Cho says of her candidacy. “My career has required me to evaluate evidence, faithfully apply the law, and make difficult decisions in real-time… That experience has shaped my judgment, discipline, and respect for the rule of law.”
Mestman points to a similarly rigorous career in public service. “I have a breadth of experience handling the most complex and serious cases, including homicides, gang crimes, sexual assaults, and elder abuse,” he says. “I have conducted nearly 80 jury trials to verdict. As a Special Assistant United States Attorney, I targeted public corruption and civil rights violations.”
On the experience front, Mestman holds a slight edge. Not only does he have more years of service than Cho, but his career also includes time as a prosecutor in Santa Clara and Santa Barbara counties.
Combining that broader experience with his specific work on public corruption, we give the nod to Mestman.
We also appreciate Mestman’s role working with Orange County's Conviction Integrity Unit, which performs the critical work of evaluating claims of wrongful conviction and factual innocence.
Again, both candidates in this race are impressive, and we would trust the bench in either of their hands. But Mestman has the edge. We endorse Robert Mestman for Orange County Superior Court Judge, Office No. 13.
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