Governor Newsom Announces Judicial Appointments

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced his nominations of Judge Hernaldo J. Baltodano to serve as an Associate Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Six, and Jeremy M. Goldman to serve as an Associate Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Four. The Governor also announced his appointment of 11 Superior Court Judges, which include five in Los Angeles County; four in San Diego County; one in Placer County; and one in Orange County.

First District Court of Appeal

Jeremy M. Goldman, 53, of Oakland, has been nominated to serve as an Associate Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Four. He is currently Co-Chief of Appellate Litigation at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office, where he has also worked as Deputy City Attorney since 2014. Goldman was previously a Partner at Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP from 2009 to

2014, and an Associate there from 2002 to 2008. He served as a Law Clerk to Judge Rosemary Barkett on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit from 2001 to 2002. Goldman earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Justice Alison Tucher to Presiding Justice of First District Court of Appeal, Division Three. 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 of the First District Court of Appeal Stuart R. Pollak. Goldman is a Democrat.

Second District Court of Appeal

Judge Hernaldo J. Baltodano, 45, of San Luis Obispo, has been nominated to serve as an Associate Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Six. He has served as a Judge at the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court since 2017, where he was the Supervising Criminal Judge from December 2020 to September 2021. Judge Baltodano was a Founding Partner and Senior Litigation Partner at Baltodano & Baltodano LLP from 2011 to 2017. He worked as Senior Associate at Sanchez & Amador LLP from 2010 to 2011, Senior Associate at Anderson McPharlin & Conners LLP in 2010, and as Senior Associate at Robins Kaplan LLP from 2006 to 2009. He worked as an Associate at SR Holguin PC from 2005 to 2006, Employee Law Group from 2004 to 2005, and Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai LLP from 2003 to 2004. Judge Baltodano earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. Effective June 30, 2022, he fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Martin J. Tangeman. 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 of the Second District Court of Appeal Arthur Gilbert. Judge Baltodano is a Democrat.

The compensation for each of these positions is $257,562.

Los Angeles County Superior Court

Rosa M. Fregoso, 56, of Alhambra, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. She has been Of Counsel at Wright Kim Douglas since 2021. She worked at the California Department of Social Services as an Administrative Law Judge in 2019, at Velasco Law Group as Associate from 2014 to 2019, as a Sole Practitioner from 2011 to 2014, at the Office of the Alternate Public Defender of Los Angeles as Deputy Alternate Public Defender II from 2007 to 2011, and at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles as Senior Attorney from 1992 to 2007. Fregoso earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Victor H. Greenberg. Fregoso is a Democrat.

Liliana H. Gonzalez, 51, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. She has been Special Assistant to the Bureau of Specialized Prosecutions and the Bureau of Fraud and Corruption at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office since 2021, where she worked as Assistant Head Deputy from 2018 to 2021, as VIP Deputy in Charge from 2014 to 2017, and as Deputy District Attorney, Trial Deputy from 1995 to 2014. Gonzalez earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael D. Abzug. Gonzalez is a Democrat.

Gia Kim, 48, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. She has served as a Deputy Federal Public Defender at the Federal Public Defender’s Office, Central District of California since 2008, where she worked as a Research and Writing Attorney from 2007 to 2008. She worked at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP as an Associate from 2006 to 2007, at Yale Law School as an Academic Fellow from 2005 to 2006, and for Judge William A. Fletcher at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit as a Law Clerk from 2004 to 2005. Kim earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Rolf M. Treu. Kim is a Democrat.

Gilbert Rodriguez, 68, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. He has been a Sole Practitioner since 2004. He worked at the Law office of Rodriguez & Pullara as Managing Partner from 1995 to 2003, at the Law office of Gilbert Rodriguez as Attorney from 1986 to 1994, at the Law Office of Pico, Presley and Rodriguez as Partner from 1984 to 1986, at the Law Office of Amador and Rodriguez as Partner from 1983 to 1984, and at the Law Office of Robert Amador as Associate from 1980 to 1982. Rodriguez earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Patricia D. Nieto. Rodriguez is a Democrat.

William E. Weinberger, 67, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. He has been Shareholder, Executive VP, Co-Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and Chair of the New Business Committee at Parker Milliken Clark O’Hara & Samuelian, since 2004, where he was formerly Chair of the Litigation Practice Group. He worked at Christa & Jackson as a Partner from 2002 to 2004, at Selvin & Weiner & Weinberger LLP as a Partner from 1985 to 2002, at Hayutin, Rubinroit, Praw & Kupietsky as an Associate in 1985, and at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius as an Associate from 1982 to 1984. He worked for Chief Judge Frank J. Battisti in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio as a Law Clerk from 1981 to 1982. Weinberger earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John A. Slawson. Weinberger is a Democrat.

Orange County Superior Court

Juliet O. Macaulay, 54, of Yorba Linda, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Orange County Superior Court. She has served  as Chief Administrative Law Judge and Deputy Director for the State of California, Department of Social Services, State Hearings Division since 2020, where she worked as Presiding Administrative Law Judge from 2016 to 2020, as Administrative Law Judge II from 2014 to 2016, and as Administrative Law Judge I from 2012 to 2014. Macaulay held several roles at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Board of Parole Hearings from 2004 to 2012, including as a Commissioner and as a Deputy Commissioner. She was a Sole Practitioner from 1997 to 2004 and a Law Clerk at the Law Offices of Victor O. Moses from 1996 to 1997. She worked at Tokunbo Olugbenga & Co, Legal Practitioners as an Attorney from 1992 to 1995 and at International Leasing and Investments Company as Outside Counsel from 1992 to 1994. Macaulay earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Ibadan, College of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Salvador Sarmiento. Macaulay is a Democrat.

Placer County Superior Court

Trisha J. Hirashima, 45, of Granite Bay, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Placer County Superior Court. She has been Senior Legal Research Attorney at the Placer County Superior Court since 2011, where she has also been a Part-Time Commissioner since 2021. She worked at Huddleston & Sipos Law Group as an Associate from 2005 to 2011, at David Williams, Attorney at Law as a Contract Attorney from 2004 to 2005. Hirashima earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Mark S. Curry. Hirashima is a Democrat.

San Diego County Superior Court

Charles E. Bell Jr., 40, of San Diego, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. He has been the City Attorney at the City of National City, Office of the City Attorney since 2020. He served as an Assistant City Attorney at the San Luis Obispo City Attorney’s Office from 2019 to 2020. Bell served as Chief Deputy City Attorney and Deputy City Attorney at the San Diego City Attorney’s Office from 2014 to 2019. He worked at McCarthy & Holthus LLP as Senior Civil Litigation Associate and Office Manager from 2008 to 2014. Bell earned a Juris Doctor degree from the California Western School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Richard E.L. Strauss. Bell is a Democrat.

Adelaida Lopez, 45, of San Marcos, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. She has been a Deputy Public Defender III at the County of San Diego, Office of the Primary Public Defender since 2006. Lopez 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 Sharon B. Majors-Lewis. Lopez is a Democrat.

Peter A. Lynch, 62, of San Diego, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. He has been Vice Chair, Office Managing Partner at Cozen O’Connor since 1988. He worked at Frank & Freedus as an Associate from 1987 to 1988 and at USMC Legal Services Support Detachment Yuma as Defense Counsel, Prosecutor and Legal Assistance Officer from 1985 to 1987. Lynch earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Southern Illinois University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Amalia L. Meza. Lynch is a Democrat.

Christopher S. Morris, 57, of San Diego, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. He has been a Sole Practitioner since 2004. He worked at Aguirre and Severson as a Partner from 2008 to 2013. Morris worked at the San Diego City Attorney’s Office in several roles, as Assistant City Attorney Head of Criminal Division from 2004 to 2007, Chief Deputy City Attorney from 2000 to 2003, Deputy City Attorney for Civil Litigation from 1996 to 1999, Deputy City Attorney, Criminal Division from 1993 to 1994, and as Deputy City Attorney, Trial Unit from 1992 to 1993. He worked at Higgs, Fletcher, and Mack as an Associate in 1995. Morris earned a Juris Doctor degree from Brigham Young University Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Margo Lewis Hoy. Morris is a Democrat.

The compensation for each of these positions is $225,074.