Governor Newsom announces judicial appointments 12.13.24

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced his appointment of 11 Superior Court Judges: one in Fresno County; one in Kern County; three in Los Angeles County; two in Orange County; one in San Bernardino County; two in San Diego County; and one interim in Santa Clara County.

 

Fresno County Superior Court

 

María G. Díaz, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Fresno County Superior Court. Díaz has served as Of Counsel at Allred, Maroko & Goldberg since 2016. She was a Principal at Díaz Law Firm from 2011 to 2024. She served as an Associate at Allred Maroko & Goldberg from 2003 to 2011. Díaz worked as an Associate at Heller Ehrman White & McAulliffe LLP from 2001 to 2003. Díaz earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School and a Master of Public Policy degree from Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Timothy A. Kams. Díaz is a Democrat.

 

Kern County Superior Court

 

Keenan Perkins, of Kern County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Kern County Superior Court. Perkins has served as a Court Commissioner since 2023. He was an Attorney at the Law Office of Keenan S. Perkins from 2012 to 2023. Perkins served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Kern County Public Defender’s Office from 2007 to 2011. He was an Attorney at Thomas Anton & Associates from 2006 to 2007. Perkins earned a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Therese Foley. Perkins is a Democrat.

 

Los Angeles County Superior Court

 

Jeffery McFarland, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. McFarland has served as a Partner at Eisner LLP since 2023. He was a Partner at McKool Smith LLP from 2021 to 2023. McFarland was a Partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP from 2020 to 2021. He was a Partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP from 2000 to 2020. He served as a Principal at Troop Steuber Pasich Reddick & Tobey LLP from 1998 to 2000. He served as an Associate at Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP from 1995 to 1998. McFarland was an Associate at Brobeck Phleger & Harrison LLP from 1991 to 1995. McFarland earned a Juris Doctor degree from University of Utah. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Donna Groman. McFarland is a Democrat.

 

 

Safaan K. Ahmed, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Ahmed has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office since 2012. He served as a Deputy City Prosecutor at the Long Beach City Prosecutor’s Office from 2009 to 2012. Ahmed was a Law Clerk at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in 2008. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Boston University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Justice Natalie P. Stone to the Court of Appeal. Ahmed is a Democrat.

 

 

Michael Cavalluzzi, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Cavalluzzi has served as Solo Practitioner Attorney at Cavalluzzi Law since 2001. He served as an attorney at the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office from 1997 to 2001. Cavalluzzi served as an Attorney at Barry Bartholomew & Associates from 1993 to 1997. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff. Cavalluzzi is a Democrat. 

 

Orange County Superior Court

 

Amber Poston, of Orange County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Superior Court of Orange County. Poston has served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office since 2015. Poston was a Deputy Public Defender at the Yolo County Public Defender’s Office from 2007 to 2015. She was a Contract Attorney at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges LLP from 2006 to 2007. Poston served as a Post Bar Law Clerk at the Santa Clara County Public Defender’s Office in 2006. Poston earned a Juris Doctor degree from University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law. Poston fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael Leversen. Poston is a Democrat.

 

 

Mehtab Sandhu, of Orange County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Orange County Superior Court. Sandhu has served as an Assistant City Attorney at the City of Anaheim City Attorney’s Office since 2022. He was a Deputy City Attorney – Community Prosecutor at the City of Anaheim City Attorney’s Office from 2021 to 2022. He served as Deputy District Attorney at the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office from 2012 to 2021. Sandhu was an Associate at Bernstein, Litowitz, Berger & Grossman in 2012. Sandhu earned a Juris Doctor degree from University of San Diego School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Steven Bromberg. Sandhu is a Democrat.

 

San Bernardino County Superior Court

 

Christopher Hayes, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Bernardino County Superior Court. Hayes has served as a Senior Appellate Court Attorney at the Fourth District Court of Appeal since 2015. He served as Counsel at Boies, Schiller & Flexner from 2011 to 2014 and an Associate at Boies, Schiller & Flexner from 2004 to 2010. Hayes served as a Judicial Law Clerk in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit from 2003 to 2004. He was a Judicial Law Clerk for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana from 2002 to 2003. Hayes earned a Juris Doctor degree from Duke University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Teresa M. Bennett. Hayes is a Democrat.

 

San Diego County Superior Court

 

Lizbet Muñoz, of San Diego County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. Muñoz has served as a Court Commissioner at the San Diego Superior Court since 2019. She was a Founder and Principal Attorney at the Law Office of Lizbet Muñoz W., APC from 2004 to 2019. She served as Staff Attorney at Legal Aid Society of San Diego from 2001 to 2004.  She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Muñoz fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Eddie Sturgeon. Muñoz is registered as no party preference.

 

 

Roy Lai, of San Diego County, has been appointed to serve as Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. Lai has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the San Diego District Attorney’s Office since 2005. Lai was a Deputy City Attorney at the San Diego City Attorney’s Office from 2004-2005. Lai earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Keri G. Katz. Lai is a Democrat.

 

Santa Clara County Superior Court

 

Johnene Stebbins, of Santa Clara County, has been appointed to serve in an interim appointment as a Judge in the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Stebbins has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office since 1998. Stebbins earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis King Hall School of Law. Stebbins fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Vincent Chiarello. The Governor’s appointment allows her to immediately assume the position she was otherwise elected to begin in January 2025. Stebbins is registered as no party preference.

The compensation for each of these positions is $244,727.