Advisory Committees

Trial Court Presiding Judges Advisory Committee

Contributes to the statewide administration of justice by monitoring areas of significance to the justice system and making recommendations to the Judicial Council on policy issues affecting the trial courts (Cal Rules of Court, rule 10.46(a)). Key projects of this advisory body are outlined in the annual agenda.
2026 Upcoming Meetings

Meetings

  • January 27, 2026

    Joint Rules Subcommittee Meeting

    Event Type: Closed Meeting
    Time: 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm

Past Meetings

Trial Court Presiding Judges Advisory Committee Past Meetings
Members

The Trial Court Presiding Judges Advisory Committee (TCPJAC) is composed of the presiding judges of the superior courts in all 58 counties. 
 
The 18-member TCPJAC Executive Committee may act on behalf of the full committee between meetings. The Executive Committee consists of all presiding judges from courts with 48 or more judges and the following members elected by the committee: two presiding judges from courts with 2 to 5 judges, three presiding judges from courts with 6 to 15 judges, and four presiding judges from courts with 16 to 47 judges. Members of the Executive Committee are indicated below with an asterisk.

  • Hon. Patricia Kelly, Chair*, Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara
  • Hon. David I. Ashby, Superior Court of California, County of Sutter
  • Hon. Eran M Bermudez, Superior Court of California, County of Imperial
  • Hon. Dale J Blea, Superior Court of California, County of Madera
  • Hon. C. Todd Bottke, Superior Court of California, County of Tehama
  • Hon. Christopher Bowen, Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa
  • Hon. Lawrence Brown*, Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento
  • Hon. Anita Starchman Bryant, Superior Court of California, County of Mariposa
  • Hon. Donald Cole Byrd, Superior Court of California, County of Glenn
  • Hon. Kathy Ciuffini, Superior Court of California, County of Kings
  • Hon. Tana Coates, Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo
  • Hon. Rod Cortez*, Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino
  • Hon. Renee C. Day*, Superior Court of California, County of Amador
  • Hon. Wendy J Dier, Superior Court of California, County of Modoc
  • Hon. Carly B. Dolan, Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino
  • Hon. Tom M Dyer, Superior Court of California, County of Yolo
  • Hon. Rochelle C. East*, Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco
  • Hon. Julie Emede*, Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara
  • Hon. Charles H. Ervin, Superior Court of California, County of Sierra
  • Hon. Brendan Michael Farrell, Superior Court of California, County of Colusa
  • Hon. Stephen P Freccero, Superior Court of California, County of Marin
  • Hon. Stephanie Garratt, Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo
  • Hon. Debra L Givens, Superior Court of California, County of Yuba
  • Hon. Michael S. Groch, Superior Court of California, County of San Diego
  • Hon. Matthew P. Guasco*, Superior Court of California, County of Ventura
  • Hon. Jeffrey Y Hamilton, Superior Court of California, County of Fresno
  • Hon. Sheila F. Hanson*, Superior Court of California, County of Orange
  • Hon. Michael B Harper, Superior Court of California, County of Trinity
  • Hon. Christopher Honigsberg*, Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma
  • Hon. Nathan D Ide, Superior Court of California, County of Tulare
  • Hon. Jacqueline C. Jackson*, Superior Court of California, County of Riverside
  • Hon. Lance G Jacot, Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin
  • Hon. Laura L. Krieg, Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne
  • Hon. John W. Lawrence, Superior Court of California, County of Siskiyou
  • Hon. Paul Lo, Superior Court of California, County of Merced
  • Hon. John W. Lua, Superior Court of California, County of Kern
  • Hon. Michael S. Lunas, Superior Court of California, County of Lake
  • Hon. Mark Magit, Superior Court of California, County of Mono
  • Hon. Michael Markman*, Superior Court of California, County of Alameda
  • Hon. Darren McElfresh, Superior Court of California, County of Del Norte
  • Hon. Michael J McLaughlin, Superior Court of California, County of El Dorado
  • Hon. Richard D. Meyer, Superior Court of California, County of Alpine
  • Hon. Mark Nareau, Superior Court of California, County of Lassen
  • Hon. Kelly L Neel, Superior Court of California, County of Humboldt
  • Hon. William J. Pendergast, Superior Court of California, County of Solano
  • Hon. Jeffrey S. Penney, Superior Court of California, County of Placer
  • Hon. Douglas M. Prouty, Superior Court of California, County of Plumas
  • Hon. Susanne M Rizo, Superior Court of California, County of Inyo
  • Hon. Jesus A Rodriguez, Superior Court of California, County of Butte
  • Hon. Omar Rodriguez, Superior Court of California, County of San Benito
  • Hon. David Sanders, Superior Court of California, County of Calaveras
  • Hon. Sonny S. Sandhu, Superior Court of California, County of Stanislaus
  • Hon. Sergio C. Tapia II*, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
  • Hon. B. Scott Thomsen, Superior Court of California, County of Nevada
  • Hon. Rafael Vazquez, Superior Court of California, County of Monterey
  • Hon. Jerry Vinluan, Superior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz
  • Hon. Tamara L. Wood, Superior Court of California, County of Shasta
  • Hon. Scott R. L. Young, Superior Court of California, County of Napa

Judicial Council Staff to the Committee

  • Corey Rada, Lead Staff, Senior Analyst, Leadership Support Services, Judicial Council of California
Subcommittees

Joint Subcommittees between Trial Court Presiding Judges Advisory Committee (TCPJAC) and Court Executives Advisory Committee (CEAC)

Joint TCPJAC/CEAC Caseflow Management Subcommittee

  • Hon. Lisa Rogan, Co-Chair, Judge, Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino
  • Darrel E. Parker, Co-Chair, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara
  • David W. Slayton, Vice Chair, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
  • Hon. Dean Benjamini, Assistant Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Riverside
  • Sharif Elmallah, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Butte
  • Hon. Julie Emede, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara
  • Hon. Charles H. Ervin, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Sierra
  • Rebecca Fleming, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara
  • Tara Leal, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Kern
  • Tim Newman, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of San Benito
  • Nocona Soboleski, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Kings
  • Hugh K. Swift, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Stanislaus
  • Laila A. Waheed, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Nevada
  • Hon. Kellee C. Westbrook, Assistant Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Stanislaus

Joint Legislation Subcommittee

  • Hon. Debra L. Givens, Co-Chair, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Yuba
  • Michael Roddy, Co-Chair, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of San Diego
  • Dawn M. Annino, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Fresno
  • Hon. David I. Ashby, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Sutter
  • Stephanie Cameron, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Tulare
  • Sharif Elmallah , Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Butte
  • Hon. Julie Emede, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara
  • Hon. Charles H. Ervin, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Sierra
  • Chad Finke, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Alameda
  • Jason B. Galkin, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Riverside
  • Hon. Michael S. Groch, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of San Diego
  • Kevin Harrigan, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Tehama
  • Hon. Darren McElfresh, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Del Norte
  • Hon. Michael J. McLaughlin, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of El Dorado
  • Hon. Mark Nareau, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Lassen
  • David W. Slayton, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
  • Cody Stenderup, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Shasta
  • Hugh K. Swift, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Stanislaus
  • Hon. Rafael Vazquez, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Monterey
  • Shelby Wineinger, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of El Dorado

Joint Rules Subcommittee

  • Hon. Scott R. L. Young, Co-Chair, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Napa
  • Sharif Elmallah , Co-Chair, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Butte
  • Jason B. Galkin, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Riverside
  • Hon. Debra L. Givens, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Yuba
  • Katy Grant, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Monterey
  • Hon. Matthew P. Guasco, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Ventura
  • Lisa Herrick, Assistant Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara
  • Hon. Christopher Honigsberg, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma
  • Hon. Jacqueline C. Jackson, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Riverside
  • Hon. Mark Magit, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Mono
  • Sasha Morgan, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz
  • Tim Newman, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of San Benito
  • David W. Slayton, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
About

Key projects of this advisory body are outlined in the annual agenda.

Advisory Committee Charge
The Trial Court Presiding Judges Advisory Committee contributes to the statewide administration of justice by monitoring areas of significance to the justice system and making recommendations to the Judicial Council on policy issues affecting the trial courts. (Cal Rules of Court, rule 10.46(a)-(b)):

  • (1) Recommend methods and policies within its area of focus to improve trial court presiding judges' access to and participation in council decision making, increase communication between the council and the trial courts, and provide for training programs for judicial and court support staff;
     
  • (2) Respond and provide input to the Judicial Council, appropriate advisory committees, or the Judicial Council staff on pending policy proposals and offer new recommendations on policy initiatives in the areas of legislation, rules, forms, standards, studies, and recommendations concerning court administration; and
     
  • (3) Provide for liaison between the trial courts and the Judicial Council, its advisory committees, task forces, and working groups, and Judicial Council Staff.