Appellate Justice Retention Votes — California Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, Second District

November 3, 2026 California ballot. AI-generated analysis. Your sample ballot and official voter guide are the official documents; the links below let you check each claim. This page explains what is on the ballot; it is not legal advice.

Voting Clarity's research is done by Claude, an AI made by Anthropic. Anthropic gave no money to any campaign for or against these justices [1].

Current as of 2026-10-16 · voting-clarity.org

Summary

A retention vote asks one question about a sitting justice. Should this justice stay on the court? No one runs against the justice. You vote Yes or No on whether the justice stays [2]. Los Angeles County ballots have 20 of these questions. Two are about justices of the California Supreme Court. Eighteen are about justices of the Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District (printed pp. 33–36) [3][4].

Your Vote: California Supreme Court (2 seats — Evans, Groban)

• YES — The justice stays on the California Supreme Court.

• NO — The justice leaves. The Governor picks a replacement.

Voters across the whole state vote on these two. The certified list shows them on printed p. 33 [2] [3]. A justice stays if more than half of the votes cast on that question are Yes [2] [3].

Your Vote: Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District (18 seats)

• YES — The justice stays on the Court of Appeal.

• NO — The justice leaves. The Governor picks a replacement.

Voters in four counties vote on these 18. The counties are Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura. The certified list shows them on printed p. 34 [2] [3]. A justice stays if more than half of the votes cast on that question are Yes [2] [3]. Each of the 20 is a separate question.

The rules in the law

The legal text behind these rules: a justice "shall be elected upon receiving a majority of the votes on the question" [2]. Supreme Court justices are elected "at large," and Court of Appeal justices "in their districts" [2]. The boundaries of the Second Appellate District are set by statute [5]. A justice who loses may not be appointed to that court again, but may later be nominated and elected to it [2]. A justice who loses serves until the Monday after January 1 following the election, which is January 4, 2027 [2]. The Governor then fills the open seat, after sending the names to a designated agency of the State Bar [6], which the Official Voter Information Guide calls the Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission [7]. The Commission on Judicial Appointments must confirm the new justice [2]. The new justice stands for a Yes-or-No vote at the first governor's election at which they can run [2].

How this table was built

Sources are official court biographies, the Governor's appointment announcements, and the Commission on Judicial Appointments' confirmation announcements. "On this court since" gives the month and year stated in the cited source. Where the court biography gives only a year, the month comes from the cited confirmation announcement (or, for the two Supreme Court justices, the court's tenure list); for Justice Yegan it is the appointment date in the cited court press release. Justice Wiley's court biography gives only the year he joined the court [8]. Rows follow the order of the Secretary of State's certified list of candidates, printed pp. 33–36 (PDF pp. 34–37) [3].

The 20 justices at a glance

Key Questions Answered

Public discipline by the Commission on Judicial Performance: None found for any of the 20 justices [41][42].

Criminal charges: None found for any of the 20 justices [43][44][45][46].

Organized campaign for or against, as of October 15, 2026: None found for any of the 20 justices [47][48].

Year licensed as a lawyer: the State Bar profiles of sitting judges do not show an admission date, so this could not be verified from available sources for any of the 20 justices [49].

State Bar status: The State Bar's profile for each of the 20 shows the person as serving as a judge and not as a State Bar licensee while in office, with only name, city and State Bar number shown, so the profiles show no discipline history [49].

About these lines: The Commission on Judicial Performance is the state agency that disciplines judges; its public decisions list by judge's name and its pending-cases page were checked [41][42]. Criminal charges were searched by name for every justice in the same three official prosecutor sources: U.S. Department of Justice news, California Attorney General press releases and Los Angeles County District Attorney news [43][44][45][46]. The Secretary of State's campaign-finance database (Cal-Access) was searched for committees formed to support or oppose each justice in 2026 [47][48].

Names: The certified list prints STEVE GOORVITCH, JOSHUA GROBAN, NICHOLAS DAUM, NATALIE STONE, JOHN WILEY, MARK HANASONO and VICTOR G. VIRAMONTES [3]. Court biographies use Stephen Goorvitch, Joshua P. Groban, Nicholas F. Daum, Natalie P. Stone, John Shepard Wiley Jr., Mark K. Hanasono and Victor Viramontes [18][12][26][37][8][21][40].

More detail

Each background below comes from the justice's official court biography.

The three most recent opinions each justice wrote. Not a full record.

Opinions are listed newest first from the California courts' official opinion pages (published and unpublished), searched October 16, 2026; when two share a date, the lower case number is listed first. [50] [51]

1. Kelli M. Evans

Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court since January 2023 [9][10]. Before that, she was a judge of the Alameda County Superior Court. Earlier she worked in Governor Newsom's legal affairs office, the Attorney General's office, the State Bar, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northern California, the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, and the Sacramento County Public Defender's Office [9]. Law degree: University of California, Davis [9].

In case names, v. means versus, In re means "in the matter of," Co. means Company, N.A. means National Association, LLC means limited liability company, and Dr. means Doctor. Letters such as J.R. or Z.B. are initials standing in for a person's name.

Recent opinions they wrote:

• Mayor v. Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (Ross Valley Sanitation District) (August 24, 2026), published — "we affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeal." A state board that reviews injured-worker cases missed a 60-day deadline; the court held the board cannot extend its own deadline. [52]

• In re Spielbauer (July 16, 2026), published — "we order that Thomas John Spielbauer ... be suspended from the practice of law for two years, that execution of that suspension be stayed ... and that he be placed on probation for two years." The court set the discipline for a lawyer found to have committed misconduct, and required him to repay $536,726.55 plus interest. [53]

• Doe v. Marysville Joint Unified School District (July 2, 2026), published — "we reverse the judgment of the Court of Appeal and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion." Seven people had dropped two earlier lawsuits; the court held a federal two-dismissal rule does not block their new lawsuit in state court. [54]

2. Joshua P. Groban

Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court since January 2019 [12][10]. Before that, he was Senior Advisor to Governor Jerry Brown, advising on judicial appointments and legal policy, and earlier a private-practice lawyer in complex civil cases. He taught State Appellate Practice at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), School of Law and clerked for Judge William C. Conner in New York [12]. Law degree: Harvard Law School [12].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• People v. Esquivias (August 17, 2026), published — "We affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeal." A man got relief on one part of his prison sentence through a court petition; the court held he was not entitled to have his whole sentence reconsidered. [55]

• People v. Hernandez (August 13, 2026), published — "we reverse the judgment and direct the Court of Appeal to remand this case to the trial court to enter an order granting Hernandez's section 1473.7 motion, vacate her convictions, and conduct further proceedings." A long-time legal resident did not understand that her guilty plea meant deportation; the court ordered her convictions undone. [56]

• Gilead Tenofovir Cases (August 3, 2026), published — "We reverse the judgment of the Court of Appeal and remand to that court with directions to issue a writ of mandate directing the trial court to vacate its order denying summary judgment and to enter a new order granting summary judgment for Gilead on all causes of action." People hurt by a drug said the maker was careless for delaying a safer drug; the court held the maker did not owe them that duty. [57]

3. Michelle C. Kim

Associate Justice, Division One, since 2024 [14]. Before that, she was a Los Angeles Superior Court judge appointed by Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr., including as Assistant Supervising Judge for limited jurisdiction in the Criminal Division. Earlier she was a Los Angeles County deputy public defender, then deputy alternate public defender, then Head Deputy [14]. Law degree: University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law [14].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• People v. Gonzalez-Guerra (October 15, 2026), unpublished — "Reversed and remanded with directions." A woman asked to undo her car-theft plea because she did not understand the immigration effects; the court sent it back for a new hearing with more evidence. [58]

• Melamed v. Melamed (October 13, 2026), unpublished — "The September 15, 2023 amended judgment and the order denying Farbod's motion for attorney fees are affirmed." After a jury trial on fraud and repayment claims, the court upheld the judgment and the refusal to award lawyer fees. [59]

• Rose v. Rose (September 28, 2026), unpublished — "The interlocutory judgment is affirmed." A daughter sued her father and his wife over ownership of the family home; the court upheld the trial court's judgment. [60]

4. Gregory J. Weingart

Associate Justice, Division One; nominated October 2022 and confirmed November 2022 [17]. Before that, he was a Los Angeles Superior Court judge from December 2017, mainly in family law. Earlier he clerked for U.S. District Judge Wm. Matthew Byrne Jr., was an Assistant U.S. Attorney from 1995 to 2004, and was a Munger Tolles & Olson partner for nearly 15 years [17]. Law degree: Harvard Law School [17].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• People v. Conrad (October 12, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." A man charged with having a gun and ammunition while barred from owning them appealed; the court upheld the judgment. [61]

• Civil Rights Department v. City of Torrance (September 29, 2026), unpublished — "The superior court's order is affirmed." A city appealed an order in the state civil rights agency's review of how it uses job applicants' criminal records; the court upheld the order. [62]

• Smiley v. Asrat (September 22, 2026), unpublished — "The judgments in favor of Asrat, Shawnda, the HOA, and IRI are affirmed." (HOA: homeowners association) A contractor shot by a neighbor sued a unit owner, the condominium association and others; the court upheld the judgments for them. [63]

5. Stephen (Steve) Goorvitch

Associate Justice, Division Two; appointed February 19, 2026, and confirmed May 22, 2026 [18]. Before that, he was a Los Angeles Superior Court judge from November 2015. Earlier he worked in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Enforcement Division, clerked for two federal judges, worked at O'Melveny & Myers, and was a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles [18]. Law degree: University of California, Berkeley [18].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• Conservatorship of J.R. (October 15, 2026), unpublished — "The appeal is dismissed." A woman appealed an order renewing her conservators; the court dismissed the appeal because the conservatorship ended while it was pending. [64]

• Alcantar v. Rotondo (October 8, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." After a trial, plaintiffs were awarded $750,000; the court held the evidence supported that award. [65]

• People v. Myvitte (October 1, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." A man convicted of first-degree murder and of having a gun as a felon appealed; the court upheld the judgment. [66]

6. Anne Richardson

Associate Justice, Division Two, since November 2024 [19]. Before that, she was a Los Angeles Superior Court judge from October 2018, first in family law and then in civil cases. Earlier she clerked for U.S. District Judge Mariana R. Pfaelzer, practiced 24 years at Hadsell Stormer Richardson & Renick and its predecessor firms, and directed consumer cases at Public Counsel for four years [19]. Law degree: Stanford Law School [19].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• Belletto v. Board of Trustees of the California State University (October 14, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." A part-time lecturer sued a state university over employment claims; the court upheld the judgment for the university. [67]

• Occhipinti v. County of Los Angeles (October 8, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." The county appealed an order to cancel a sheriff's deputy's discipline over a patrol-car crash and pay back wages; the court upheld the order. [68]

• Luna v. Top Dawg Entertainment (October 8, 2026), published — "The order denying the anti-SLAPP motion is reversed." (anti-SLAPP: a law that lets courts quickly dismiss lawsuits aimed at silencing speech) (remanded; trial court "directed to grant Defendants' anti-SLAPP motion and strike Plaintiffs' doxing cause of action") Two women sued a music company and others over a "doxing" claim; the court ordered that claim thrown out under a law protecting speech on public matters. [69]

7. Rashida A. Adams

Presiding Justice, Division Three; Associate Justice since April 2023 and Presiding Justice since August 2026 [20]. Before that, she was a Los Angeles Superior Court judge from 2017, hearing juvenile dependency and criminal cases. Earlier she handled job-discrimination and whistleblower cases in Washington, D.C., practiced civil litigation in Los Angeles, and was a research attorney in the Court of Appeal from 2008 [20]. Law degree: Yale Law School [20].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• Sterndahl v. Sterndahl (October 15, 2026), published — "The appeal is dismissed." A husband appealed an order on temporary spousal support in a divorce; the court dismissed the appeal. [70]

• People v. Real (October 7, 2026), unpublished — "The order denying the petition for resentencing is affirmed." A man asked to be resentenced and was turned down; the court upheld that decision. [71]

• People v. Wright (October 2, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is reversed with the direction to the trial court to appoint counsel for Wright and to conduct a full resentencing hearing." A man sought resentencing under a law ending one-year prison add-ons; the court said he must get a lawyer and a full resentencing hearing. [72]

8. Mark K. Hanasono

Associate Justice, Division Three; nominated May 2025 and confirmed June 2025 [21]. Before that, he was a Los Angeles Superior Court judge from 2013, nearly twelve years in the Criminal Division. Earlier he clerked in the District of Columbia Superior Court, was a Los Angeles County deputy public defender from 2000 to 2004, and then handled felony cases, including capital murder, as an alternate public defender [21]. Law degree: Georgetown University Law Center [21].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• People v. Ceja (October 8, 2026), unpublished — "We affirm the judgment." A man appealed after a resentencing order; the court upheld it. [73]

• Devone v. Morgan Stanley & Co. (October 8, 2026), unpublished — "Reversed in part, affirmed in part, and remanded with directions." Children of a wealthy investor sued a brokerage over his trading; the court sent most claims back to the trial court and left one claim dismissed. [74]

• People v. Holguin (September 29, 2026), unpublished — "We affirm the trial court's order denying Holguin's petition for resentencing under section 1172.6." A man convicted of eight counts of attempted murder asked to be resentenced; the court upheld the denial. [75]

9. Helen Zukin

Presiding Justice, Division Four; on the Court of Appeal since July 2023 and Presiding Justice since 2025 [22]. Before that, she was a Los Angeles Superior Court judge from 2018, in family law and civil cases. Earlier she was a plaintiffs' civil litigator, including a Kiesel Law partner from 2010, and chaired the State Bar's Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation [22]. Law degree: Loyola Law School [22].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• Martinez v. Parker (September 29, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." The court held a trial judge could bar a side's expert witnesses when that side did not make them available. [76]

• People v. Stopani (September 24, 2026), unpublished — "The order denying defendant's section 1172.6 petition for resentencing is affirmed." A man asked to be resentenced and was turned down; the court upheld that decision. [77]

• Estate of Fegan (September 18, 2026), unpublished — "The probate court's order denying Thomson's motion to set aside is affirmed." A woman who learned her biological father's identity through a genealogy report asked to set aside a probate ruling; the court upheld the ruling. [78]

10. Audra M. Mori

Associate Justice, Division Four; appointed 2023 [24]. Before that, she was a Los Angeles Superior Court judge from 2018, hearing civil and family law cases, and chaired the court's Judicial Mentor Program. Earlier she clerked for Judge Richard W. Goldberg of the U.S. Court of International Trade and practiced intellectual property and business litigation, mostly at Perkins Coie, where she was managing partner of an office [24]. Law degree: Cornell Law School [24].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• People v. Cruz (October 5, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." A man appealed his conviction; the court rejected his argument about the use of his statements and upheld the judgment. [79]

• People v. Tatum (September 24, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." A woman's lawyer found no issues to appeal; the court reviewed the record and upheld the judgment. [80]

• Williams v. City of Torrance (September 24, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is reversed. The matter is remanded to the trial court with directions to vacate the order granting the motion for summary judgment and enter an order denying summary adjudication of [two of Williams's claims]." (caption: "Reversed in part and remanded.") A city worker sued the city under laws protecting public safety employees; the court revived two claims and left the rest decided for the city. [81]

11. Nicholas F. Daum

Associate Justice, Division Four; confirmed August 2026 [26]. Before that, he was a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, first in a criminal courtroom and then in a civil courtroom. Earlier he spent nineteen years in private practice at Susman Godfrey LLP and then Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP, where he became a partner, handling media and entertainment litigation and appeals [26]. Master's degree in Modern European History: University of California at Berkeley; law degree: Yale Law School [26].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• People v. Ornelas (October 6, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." A man convicted in a 1979 bar robbery that ended in a killing asked to be resentenced; the court upheld the denial. [82]

• Tansavatdi v. City of Rancho Palos Verdes (September 24, 2026), published — "The judgment is affirmed. The City is entitled to recover its costs on appeal." The court decided a question about a city's legal protection for the design of public property, and upheld the judgment. [83]

• In re Z.B. (September 24, 2026), unpublished — "The juvenile court's August 28, 2025 order is affirmed." A father appealed a custody order for his daughter in a child-welfare case; the court upheld the order. [84]

12. Armen Tamzarian

Associate Justice, Division Four; confirmed June 2025 [27]. Before that, he was a Los Angeles Superior Court judge from December 2013. Earlier he was a research attorney at that court, a partner at Case, Knowlson, Jordan & Wright LLP in business and employment litigation, and an appellate court attorney for Justice Patti Kitching [27]. Law degree: Southwestern Law School [27].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• Bagdasaryan v. Valian (October 7, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is reversed as to the first, second, fourth, and eighth causes of action." (caption: "Reversed in part and remanded with directions.") Homeowners sued a real estate agent and her company over a transfer of their home; the court revived four of their claims. [85]

• Doe v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (October 5, 2026), published — "The judgment is affirmed. Neither party shall recover costs on appeal." The court decided which legal test applies to an employer when a harassment claim involves a supervisor who was not the worker's own supervisor, and upheld the judgment for the bank. [86]

• Wilson v. University of Southern California (October 5, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." A man charged in the 2019 college-admissions case and others sued the university; the court upheld the judgment for the university. [87]

13. Brian M. Hoffstadt

Presiding Justice, Division Five, since 2024; on the Court of Appeal since August 2014 [28]. Before that, he was a Los Angeles Superior Court judge from 2010. Earlier he clerked for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, held federal policy posts, was a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, and was a Jones Day appellate partner [28]. Law degree: University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law [28].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• Conservatorship of Adham (October 9, 2026), unpublished — "The order is affirmed." A conservator challenged $12,595.67 in bank withdrawals; the court held leaving out the conservator's expert testimony was not an error and upheld the order. [88]

• Aviles v. Access Services (September 24, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment for Access is affirmed. The order granting a new trial for Global and Juarez is affirmed." After a $17.5 million jury verdict in a suit over a man's fatal fall after a ride-service drop-off, the court upheld the judgment for the ride service and the new trial for its contractor and driver. [89]

• In re T.Q. (September 10, 2026), unpublished — "The juvenile court's orders are affirmed." A father appealed child-welfare orders, citing a notice error; the court held any error was harmless and upheld the orders. [90]

14. Tari L. Cody

Presiding Justice, Division Six; Associate Justice in 2023 and Presiding Justice in 2026 [30]. Before that, she spent 22 years on the Ventura County Superior Court, including several years as Supervising Juvenile Judge. Earlier she was a partner at Nordman, Cormany, Hair & Compton in Oxnard and joined Lemieux & O'Neill in 1994 [30]. Law degree: Loyola Law School [30].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• People v. Garcia (October 12, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." A man's lawyer found no issues; the court reviewed the record and upheld the sentence. [91]

• Palestino v. Lopez (September 16, 2026), unpublished — "Judgment is affirmed. Neither party shall recover costs because respondent did not appear on appeal." A wife appealed an order that she buy out her husband's half of their home; the court upheld the order. [92]

• People v. Sanchez-Flores (September 16, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." A man serving a life sentence appealed; his lawyer found no issues and the court upheld the judgment. [93]

15. Kenneth R. Yegan

Associate Justice, Division Six, since 1990 [31]. Before that, he was a Ventura County Superior Court judge from 1986 and a Municipal Court judge from 1983. Earlier he was a Ventura County deputy public defender from 1972 to 1975 and a judicial attorney for the Second District from 1975 to 1982 [31]. Law degree: University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law [31].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• Passport 420, LLC v. Starr Indemnity & Liability Co. (October 1, 2026), published — "The judgment is reversed. Passport's cross-appeal is dismissed. Costs to Starr." The court held an insurer may cancel a policy when the buyer hid an important fact when applying. [94]

• People v. Moody (September 29, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." A woman convicted of assault with a deadly weapon appealed; her lawyer found no issues, and the court reviewed the record and upheld the judgment. [95]

• People v. Ammons (September 16, 2026), published — "The judgment is affirmed." A man convicted of attempting to kill a police officer argued the jury was wrongly instructed; the court upheld his conviction. [96]

16. Gonzalo C. Martinez

Presiding Justice, Division Seven; Associate Justice from 2023 and Presiding Justice from 2024 [33]. Before that, he worked in the Governor's Office, was a deputy solicitor general in the Attorney General's office, and was an appellate partner at Squire Patton Boggs. He clerked for U.S. District Judges Maxine M. Chesney and Anthony W. Ishii [33]. Master's in English: Stanford University; law degree: Harvard Law School [33].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• Conservatorship of J.B. (October 15, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is reversed." A woman was not correctly told of her right to a jury trial before a conservator was named; the trial court must advise her again. [97]

• Sargent v. City of Gardena (October 12, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." A retired police officer sued the city over disability and age discrimination claims; the court upheld the judgment for the city. [98]

• In re A.V. (October 9, 2026), unpublished — "We affirm the juvenile court's section 364 hearing findings and orders." A mother appealed orders keeping her children under court supervision; the court upheld them. [99]

17. Natalie P. Stone

Associate Justice, Division Seven; confirmed May 2024 [37]. Before that, she was a Los Angeles Superior Court judge for nine years, hearing juvenile dependency and criminal cases. Earlier she clerked for Ninth Circuit Judge A. Wallace Tashima, litigated ten years at Munger, Tolles & Olson, and was an appellate court attorney for five years [37]. Law degree: University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law [37].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• Westphal v. Kassity (October 6, 2026), unpublished — "Amber's appeal from the order denying her petition to compel an accounting ... and the order denying her motion for reconsideration is dismissed." A stepdaughter asked a court to make a niece who held power of attorney account for her handling of money; the court dismissed the appeal. [100]

• Chang v. Pilot Travel Centers (September 30, 2026), unpublished — "Reversed and remanded with directions." The court held the plaintiffs' appeal was timely and ordered the trial court to overrule the company's challenge to their complaint. [101]

• Matter of Dr. Mohebbi Revocable Trust (September 29, 2026), unpublished — "Affirmed in part, reversed and remanded in part, and dismissed in part." In a dispute over a deceased optometrist's trust and businesses, the court sent part of the case back, upheld part and dismissed part. [102]

18. John Shepard Wiley Jr.

Associate Justice, Division Eight, since 2018 [8]. Before that, he was a Superior Court judge, appointed in 2002. Earlier he clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. and Judge Frank Coffin, was a tenured UCLA law professor, a visiting Harvard Law professor, and a federal prosecutor [8]. Law school: not named in the court biography [8].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• People v. Orozco (October 15, 2026), unpublished — "We affirm the judgment." A man appealed his domestic violence conviction; the court upheld it. [103]

• Smith v. Burbank Unified School District (October 7, 2026), published — "We affirm and award costs to the District." An employee who refused a COVID-19 vaccine for religious reasons sued his school district; the court upheld the judgment for the district. [104]

• In re B.W. (October 6, 2026), unpublished — "We affirm the challenged order." A mother argued a juvenile court should not have continued a review hearing for her child; the court upheld the order. [105]

19. Matthew A. Scherb

Associate Justice, Division Eight; nominated August 7, 2025, and confirmed November 17, 2025 [39]. Before that, he was a chambers attorney for California Supreme Court Justice Martin J. Jenkins from 2021 to 2025. Earlier he worked in the Los Angeles City Attorney's civil appeals unit, was an appellate court attorney, litigated at Winston & Strawn, and clerked for Judge Royce C. Lamberth [39]. Law degree: Northwestern University School of Law [39].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• People v. Catella (October 12, 2026), unpublished — "We affirm the judgment." A man's lawyer found no issues; the court reviewed the record and upheld the judgment. [106]

• S.Z. v. D.A. (October 9, 2026), unpublished — "We affirm the restraining order. The parties shall bear their own appellate costs." A man appealed a three-year domestic violence restraining order; the court upheld it. [107]

• People v. Sanchez (October 6, 2026), unpublished — "We reverse the order denying Ibanez Sanchez's section 1473.7 motion. We remand the case to the trial court with directions to grant his motion, vacate his conviction, and permit him to withdraw his plea." A man did not understand the immigration effects of his plea; the court ordered his conviction undone. [108]

20. Victor Viramontes

Associate Justice, Division Eight; nominated October 2022 and confirmed November 2022 [40]. Before that, he was a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge from November 2017. Earlier he was national senior counsel at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), a trial attorney at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Carlos R. Moreno [40]. Law degree: Yale Law School [40].

Recent opinions they wrote:

• A & Y Property Investments 26 v. Chavez (October 8, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment is affirmed." In a home-sale dispute, the court upheld deducting the value of a lost grant from what the buyer owed the sellers. [109]

• Heil v. Serpik (October 2, 2026), unpublished — "The judgment in favor of Andrei V. Serpik is affirmed." In a case about the law allowing early dismissal of lawsuits aimed at free speech, the court upheld the judgment for the defendant. [110]

• People v. White (October 1, 2026), unpublished — "The appeal is dismissed." A man appealed an order on a petition challenging his conviction; the court held the order cannot be appealed and dismissed the appeal. [111]

Sources

1. Secretary of State, Cal-Access, "Anthropic PBC" (filer ID 1491817), as of Oct. 16, 2026.

2. California Constitution, art. VI, § 16, read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

3. Secretary of State, Official Certified List of Candidates, General Election, Nov. 3, 2026 (Aug. 27, 2026), printed pp. 33–36 (PDF pp. 34–37) read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

4. Secretary of State, Official Voter Information Guide, "Courts of Appeal, Second District", read in full Oct. 16, 2026 (lists the 18 Second District justices by division).

5. Government Code § 69100, read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

6. Government Code § 12011.5, read in full Oct. 16, 2026 (the section refers to "a designated agency of the State Bar" and does not give its name).

7. Secretary of State, Official Voter Information Guide, "Justices of the Supreme Court", read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

8. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "John Shepard Wiley Jr." (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

9. Supreme Court of California, "Justice Kelli M. Evans" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

10. Supreme Court of California, "Past & Present Justices" (tenure dates), read Oct. 16, 2026.

11. Office of the Governor, "Governor Newsom Announces Historic Supreme Court Nominations," Aug. 10, 2022, read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

12. Supreme Court of California, "Associate Justice Joshua P. Groban" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

13. Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. (archive), "Governor Brown Selects Joshua Groban for California Supreme Court," Nov. 14, 2018, read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

14. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Michelle C. Kim" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

15. California Courts Newsroom, "Commission Confirms Appointments to Appellate Court in Los Angeles," Nov. 25, 2024 (Kim), read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

16. Office of the Governor, "Governor Newsom announces judicial appointments 9.30.24" (Hoffstadt, Kim, Richardson), read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

17. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Gregory J. Weingart" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

18. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Stephen Goorvitch" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

19. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Anne Richardson" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

20. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Rashida Adams" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

21. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Mark K. Hanasono" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

22. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Helen Zukin" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

23. Office of the Governor, "Governor Newsom Announces Judicial Appointments 5.19.23" (Zukin), read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

24. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Audra M. Mori" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

25. California Courts Newsroom, "Commission Confirms Appointments to Courts of Appeal," Apr. 17, 2023 (Mori, Cody, Adams), read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

26. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Nicholas F. Daum" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

27. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Armen Tamzarian" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

28. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Brian M. Hoffstadt" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

29. Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. (archive), "Governor Brown Appoints Four Justices to the Second District Court of Appeal," June 28, 2014 (Hoffstadt, Division Two), read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

30. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Tari L. Cody" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

31. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Kenneth R. Yegan" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

32. Superior Court of California, County of Ventura, press release (Justice Yegan), read Oct. 16, 2026 ("On December 27, 1990, Justice Yegan was appointed by former Governor Deukmejian").

33. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Gonzalo C. Martinez" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

34. California Courts Newsroom, "Commission Confirms Appointments to Courts of Appeal," July 10, 2023 (Martinez, Zukin), read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

35. Office of the Governor, "Governor Newsom Announces Judicial Appointments 3.12.24" (Martinez, Presiding Justice; Deputy Judicial Appointments Secretary, 2019 to 2023), read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

36. Office of the Governor, "Governor Newsom Announces Judicial Appointments 3.30.23" (Martinez), read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

37. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Natalie P. Stone" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

38. Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. (archive), "Governor Brown Appoints Four Court of Appeal Justices," Nov. 27, 2018 (Wiley), read in full Oct. 16, 2026.

39. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Matthew A. Scherb" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

40. Courts of Appeal, Second District, "Victor Viramontes" (biography), read Oct. 16, 2026.

41. Commission on Judicial Performance, "Decisions by Judge's Name", read Oct. 16, 2026.

42. Commission on Judicial Performance, pending cases, searched for the published page.

43. U.S. Department of Justice, news, searched by name for all 20 justices for the published page.

44. U.S. Department of Justice, news archive, searched by name for all 20 justices for the published page.

45. California Attorney General, press releases, searched by name for all 20 justices for the published page.

46. Los Angeles County District Attorney, news, searched by name for all 20 justices for the published page.

47. Secretary of State, Cal-Access campaign finance, committee and filer search, searched for the published page (as of Oct. 15, 2026).

48. Secretary of State, Power Search contributor search, searched for the published page.

49. State Bar of California, attorney profiles of the 20 justices, read Oct. 16, 2026: Evans; Groban; Kim; Weingart; Goorvitch; Richardson; Adams; Hanasono; Zukin; Mori; Daum; Tamzarian; Hoffstadt; Cody; Yegan; Martinez; Stone; Wiley; Scherb; Viramontes.

50. California Courts, Published Opinions listing (opinions posted May 26 to Oct. 15, 2026), searched Oct. 16, 2026.

51. California Courts, Unpublished Opinions listing (opinions filed Aug. 17 to Oct. 15, 2026), searched Oct. 16, 2026.

52. Mayor v. Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (Ross Valley Sanitation District), Supreme Court of California, Aug. 24, 2026, No. S287261, read Oct. 16, 2026.

53. In re Spielbauer, Supreme Court of California, July 16, 2026, No. S283172, read Oct. 16, 2026.

54. Doe v. Marysville Joint Unified School District, Supreme Court of California, July 2, 2026, No. S283639, read Oct. 16, 2026.

55. People v. Esquivias, Supreme Court of California, Aug. 17, 2026, No. S286371, read Oct. 16, 2026.

56. People v. Hernandez, Supreme Court of California, Aug. 13, 2026, No. S282186, read Oct. 16, 2026.

57. Gilead Tenofovir Cases, Supreme Court of California, Aug. 3, 2026, No. S283862, read Oct. 16, 2026.

58. People v. Gonzalez-Guerra, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 1, Oct. 15, 2026, No. B348156, read Oct. 16, 2026.

59. Melamed v. Melamed, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 1, Oct. 13, 2026, No. B333538, read Oct. 16, 2026.

60. Rose v. Rose, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 1, Sept. 28, 2026, No. B347617, read Oct. 16, 2026.

61. People v. Conrad, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 1, Oct. 12, 2026, No. B351788, read Oct. 16, 2026.

62. Civil Rights Department v. City of Torrance, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 1, Sept. 29, 2026, No. B352855, read Oct. 16, 2026.

63. Smiley v. Asrat, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 1, Sept. 22, 2026, No. B335046, read Oct. 16, 2026.

64. Conservatorship of J.R., Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 2, Oct. 15, 2026, No. B347865, read Oct. 16, 2026.

65. Alcantar v. Rotondo, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 2, Oct. 8, 2026, No. B338788, read Oct. 16, 2026.

66. People v. Myvitte, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 2, Oct. 1, 2026, No. B340023, read Oct. 16, 2026.

67. Belletto v. Board of Trustees of the California State University, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 2, Oct. 14, 2026, No. B348578, read Oct. 16, 2026.

68. Occhipinti v. County of Los Angeles, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 2, Oct. 8, 2026, No. B347108, read Oct. 16, 2026.

69. Luna v. Top Dawg Entertainment, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 2, Oct. 8, 2026, No. B347645, read Oct. 16, 2026.

70. Sterndahl v. Sterndahl, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 3, Oct. 15, 2026, No. B347548, read Oct. 16, 2026.

71. People v. Real, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 3, Oct. 7, 2026, No. B349183, read Oct. 16, 2026.

72. People v. Wright, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 3, Oct. 2, 2026, No. B333500, read Oct. 16, 2026.

73. People v. Ceja, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 3, Oct. 8, 2026, No. B337385, read Oct. 16, 2026.

74. Devone v. Morgan Stanley & Co., Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 3, Oct. 8, 2026, No. B339219, read Oct. 16, 2026.

75. People v. Holguin, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 3, Sept. 29, 2026, No. B348523, read Oct. 16, 2026.

76. Martinez v. Parker, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 4, Sept. 29, 2026, No. B334995, read Oct. 16, 2026.

77. People v. Stopani, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 4, Sept. 24, 2026, No. B347904, read Oct. 16, 2026.

78. Estate of Fegan, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 4, Sept. 18, 2026, No. B350856, read Oct. 16, 2026.

79. People v. Cruz, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 4, Oct. 5, 2026, No. B337698, read Oct. 16, 2026.

80. People v. Tatum, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 4, Sept. 24, 2026, No. B342349, read Oct. 16, 2026.

81. Williams v. City of Torrance, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 4, Sept. 24, 2026, No. B345170, read Oct. 16, 2026.

82. People v. Ornelas, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 4, Oct. 6, 2026, No. B347240, read Oct. 16, 2026.

83. Tansavatdi v. City of Rancho Palos Verdes, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 4, Sept. 24, 2026, No. B343512, read Oct. 16, 2026.

84. In re Z.B., Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 4, Sept. 24, 2026, No. B349723, read Oct. 16, 2026.

85. Bagdasaryan v. Valian, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 4, Oct. 7, 2026, No. B350188, read Oct. 16, 2026.

86. Doe v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 4, Oct. 5, 2026, No. B344642, read Oct. 16, 2026.

87. Wilson v. University of Southern California, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 4, Oct. 5, 2026, No. B349831, read Oct. 16, 2026.

88. Conservatorship of Adham, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 5, Oct. 9, 2026, No. B349962, read Oct. 16, 2026.

89. Aviles v. Access Services, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 5, Sept. 24, 2026, No. B338927, read Oct. 16, 2026.

90. In re T.Q., Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 5, Sept. 10, 2026, No. B348484, read Oct. 16, 2026.

91. People v. Garcia, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 6, Oct. 12, 2026, No. B351330, read Oct. 16, 2026.

92. Palestino v. Lopez, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 6, Sept. 16, 2026, No. B343253, read Oct. 16, 2026.

93. People v. Sanchez-Flores, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 6, Sept. 16, 2026, No. B347082, read Oct. 16, 2026.

94. Passport 420, LLC v. Starr Indemnity & Liability Co., Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 6, Oct. 1, 2026, No. B343113, read Oct. 16, 2026.

95. People v. Moody, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 6, Sept. 29, 2026, No. B350263, read Oct. 16, 2026.

96. People v. Ammons, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 6, Sept. 16, 2026, No. B343669, read Oct. 16, 2026.

97. Conservatorship of J.B., Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 7, Oct. 15, 2026, No. B350419, read Oct. 16, 2026.

98. Sargent v. City of Gardena, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 7, Oct. 12, 2026, No. B347293, read Oct. 16, 2026.

99. In re A.V., Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 7, Oct. 9, 2026, No. B349842, read Oct. 16, 2026.

100. Westphal v. Kassity, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 7, Oct. 6, 2026, No. B346170, read Oct. 16, 2026.

101. Chang v. Pilot Travel Centers, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 7, Sept. 30, 2026, No. B344968, read Oct. 16, 2026.

102. Matter of Dr. Mohebbi Revocable Trust, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 7, Sept. 29, 2026, No. B345304, read Oct. 16, 2026.

103. People v. Orozco, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 8, Oct. 15, 2026, No. B346599, read Oct. 16, 2026.

104. Smith v. Burbank Unified School District, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 8, Oct. 7, 2026, No. B347288, read Oct. 16, 2026.

105. In re B.W., Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 8, Oct. 6, 2026, No. B352315, read Oct. 16, 2026.

106. People v. Catella, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 8, Oct. 12, 2026, No. B350662, read Oct. 16, 2026.

107. S.Z. v. D.A., Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 8, Oct. 9, 2026, No. B342869, read Oct. 16, 2026.

108. People v. Sanchez, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 8, Oct. 6, 2026, No. B349145, read Oct. 16, 2026.

109. A & Y Property Investments 26 v. Chavez, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 8, Oct. 8, 2026, No. B343969, read Oct. 16, 2026.

110. Heil v. Serpik, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 8, Oct. 2, 2026, No. B342921, read Oct. 16, 2026.

111. People v. White, Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 8, Oct. 1, 2026, No. B346678, read Oct. 16, 2026.

Could not be reviewed: Commission on Judicial Appointments confirmation records for the 1990, 2014 and 2018 appellate confirmations, which were not found on the official sites reviewed; federal court files in PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) and paid or in-person court indexes, which are searched only by the site owner.