Chief Justice Names Five New Members to Judicial Council

June 4, 2015

Chief Justice Names Five New Members to Judicial Council

SAN FRANCISCO—Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye today announced the appointment of five new Judicial Council members whose three-year terms will begin Sept. 15. She also reappointed five council members to new terms.

“As the constitutional and statutory entity charged with governance of the judicial branch, the Judicial Council must tackle many challenges facing our court system,” said the Chief Justice. “To meet these challenges, the council depends upon our collective experience and expertise and values each council member’s active participation in making decisions. I am confident in our new members and thank our dedicated and talented outgoing members for their invaluable service.”

The Chief Justice’s new appointments include two voting members: Justice James M. Humes, Court of Appeal, First Appellate District; and Judge Samuel K. Feng, Superior Court of San Francisco County. The three new non-voting advisory members include: Judge Dalila Corral Lyons, Superior Court of Los Angeles County; Jake Chatters, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of Placer County; and Kimberly Flener, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of Butte County. In addition, this year’s State Bar of California appointee to the council is Attorney Patrick M. Kelly, who also begins his term in September.

The Chief Justice reappointed council members: Judge Gary Nadler, Superior Court of Sonoma County (voting member); Judge Daniel J. Buckley, Superior Court of Los Angeles County (currently an advisory member but will become a voting member as of Sept. 15); Presiding Judge Marsha G. Slough, Superior Court of San Bernardino County (currently an advisory member but will become a voting member as of Sept. 15); Presiding Judge Brian L. McCabe, Superior Court of Merced County (advisory member); Assistant Presiding Judge Charles D. Wachob, Superior Court of Placer County (advisory member).

Outgoing council members as of Sept. 15 include: Justice Judith Ashmann-Gerst, Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District; Judge James R. Brandlin, Superior Court of Los Angeles County; Judge David De Alba, Superior Court of Sacramento County; Presiding Judge James E. Herman, Superior Court of Santa Barbara County; Assistant Presiding Judge Morris D. Jacobson, Superior Court of Alameda County; Judge David Rosenberg, Superior Court of Yolo County; Mary Beth Todd, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of Sutter County; and State Bar-Appointee Attorney James P. Fox.

“Council members have diverse experience and come from a variety of courts, large and small,” said Appellate Justice Douglas P. Miller, who chairs the council’s Executive and Planning Committee, which reviews nominations to the council and its advisory committees. “Some complex and long-term policy issues impact jurisdictions differently. But council members don’t serve as advocates for particular constituencies and must serve the public’s interest throughout the state.”

According to the state Constitution, the Chief Justice chairs the Judicial Council and appoints one other Supreme Court justice, three justices from the courts of appeal, 10 trial court judges, two nonvoting court administrators, “and any other nonvoting members as determined by the voting membership of the council.” Judicial Council members normally serve three years, and new terms begin in September. The State Bar’s governing body appoints four members, and the state Senate and Assembly each appoint one member.