SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced a number of appointments to posts including District Court of Appeal, and County Superior Court positions.
Rosendo Peña named as associate justice of the Fifth District Court of Appeal. Peña, 57, of Fresno, has served as a judge for the Fresno Superior Court since 2002. He served as a senior research attorney for the Fifth District Court of Appeal from 1994 to 2002 and from 1983 to 1990. Peña was an associate at the Law Offices of Hernandez and Ramirez from 1992 to 1994 and a deputy attorney general at the Criminal Division of the California Department of Justice from 1990 to 1992.
He served as a deputy state public defender at the State Public Defender’s Office from 1981 to 1983. Peña earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from California State University, Fresno. Peña fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Betty L. Dawson. This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments. The Commission consists of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris and Senior Presiding Justice Brad Hill. Peña will be the first Latino justice in the history of the Fifth District Court of Appeal, if confirmed. Peña is a Democrat. The compensation for this position is $204,599.
Jim Humes appointed as associate justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Four. Humes, 53, of San Francisco, has served as executive secretary for legal affairs, administration and policy at the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. since 2011. He was chief deputy attorney general at the Office of Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. from 2007 to 2011. Humes served in multiple positions at the California Department of Justice from 1993 to 2007, including chief assistant of the civil division and senior assistant attorney general of the health, education and welfare section. He served in the Colorado Attorney General’s Office from 1984 to 1986 and again from 1987 to 1993. Humes was an associate at Banta Hoyt Banta Greene Hannen and Everall PC from 1986 to 1987 and at Jay Stuart Radetsky PC from 1983 to 1984. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Denver, a Master of Social Science degree from the University of Colorado and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Illinois State University.
Humes fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Patricia Sepulveda. This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments. The Commission consists of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris and Senior Presiding Justice J. Anthony Kline. Humes will be the first openly gay justice to serve on the California Court of Appeal, if confirmed. Humes is a Democrat. The compensation for this position is $204,599.
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the appointments of Stephen D. Kaus, Scott D. Patton and Gregory A. Syren to judgeships in the Alameda Superior Court.
Stephen D. Kaus, 64, of Berkeley, has worked at Cooper White and Cooper LLP since 1993 and has been a partner at the firm since 1995. He was a solo practitioner at the Law Offices of Stephen Kaus from 1990 to 1993 and a partner at Kaus Kerr and Wagstaffe from 1982 to 1990. Kaus was a deputy public defender at the Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office from 1974 to 1980. Kaus earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position on February 9, 2012. Kaus is a Democrat.
Scott D. Patton, 51, of Piedmont, has served as a deputy district attorney at the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office since 1990. Patton 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, Santa Barbara. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Beverly Daniels-Greenberg. Patton is a Democrat.
Gregory A. Syren, 53, of Kensington, has served as an assistant public defender at the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office since 1987. He served as a deputy public defender at the Solano County Public Defender’s Office in 1987 and as a deputy public defender at the Napa County Public Defender’s Office from 1986 to 1987. Syren was an associate at Guadagni Flax and McGrath in 1986. Syren earned a Juris Doctorate degree from University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers following her appointment to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Syren is a Democrat.
The compensation for each of the above 3 positions is $178,789.
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the appointment of Chris Doehle to a judgeship in the Del Norte County Superior Court. Doehle, 50, of Del Norte, has been an attorney in private practice since 1995. She was an associate attorney at Harland Law Firm from 1990 to 1995. Doehle earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Washington School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oregon. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Robert W. Weir. Doehle will be the first woman to serve on the Del Norte County Superior Court. Doehle is a Democrat. The compensation for this position is $178,789.
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the appointments of Nathan R. Scott and James L. Crandall to judgeships in the Orange County Superior Court.
Nathan R. Scott, 39, of Long Beach, has served as senior appellate court attorney at the State of California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District since 2005. He was an associate at Cox, Castle and Nicholson LLP from 2003 to 2004 and at Kirkland and Ellis LLP from 1999 to 2003. He is a member of the Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County. Scott earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Harvard Law School, where he served on the Harvard Latino Law Review, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael J. Naughton. Scott is a Democrat.
James L. Crandall, 66, of San Juan Capistrano, has been a senior partner at Crandall Wade and Lowe since 1976. Crandall was a partner and previously an associate attorney at Spray Gould and Bowers from 1958 to 1971. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Economics degree from San Jose State University. He fills the vacancy created by the death of Judge Patrick Marion. Crandall is a Republican.
The compensation for each of the above 2 positions is $178,789.
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the appointment of Paula S. Rosenstein to a judgeship in the San Diego County Superior Court. Rosenstein, 52, of San Diego, has been an attorney and shareholder at Rosenstein Wilson and Dean PLC since 1997. She was a sole practitioner from 1991 to 1997, an associate attorney at Rosenstein Shpall and Associates from 1987 to 1991 and an associate attorney at Richard D. Prochazka APC in 1987. 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, San Diego. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Linda B. Quinn. Rosenstein is a Democrat. The compensation for this position is $178,789.
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the appointments of James E. Towery and Helen Elizabeth Williams to judgeships in the Santa Clara Superior Court.
James E. Towery, 64, of San Jose, has been of counsel at Rossi Hammerslough Reischl and Chuck since 2011. He served as chief trial counsel at the State Bar of California from 2010 to 2011. Towery was a shareholder at Hoge Fenton Jones and Appel Inc. from 1989 to 2010 and a partner at Morgan and Towery from 1979 to 1989. He was a law clerk and associate at Morgan Beauzay Hammer Ezgar Bledsoe and Rucka from 1976 to 1979. He is a former president of the State Bar of California and the Santa Clara County Bar Association. Towery earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Emory University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Kevin J. Murphy. Towery is a Democrat.
Helen Elizabeth Williams, 52, of Santa Cruz, has worked as an appellate court attorney at the State of California Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District since 2004, frequently serving in the lead position. She served as an attorney at Robinson and Wood Inc. from 2001 to 2004, at Olimpia Whelan and Lively from 1999 to 2001 and at Williams and Williams from 1987 to 1999. Williams is certified as an appellate specialist by the California State Bar. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Santa Clara University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Douglas K. Southard. Williams is a Democrat.
The compensation for each position is $178,789.
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the appointment of Robert B. Westbrook to a judgeship in the Stanislaus Superior Court.
Westbrook, 43, of Hughson, has served as a deputy public defender at the Stanislaus County Public Defender’s Office since 2004, where he also worked from 2000 to 2002. He served as a deputy public defender at the San Joaquin County Public Defender’s Office from 2002 to 2004. Westbrook earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John G. Whiteside. Westbrook is a Democrat.
The compensation for this position is $178,789.