The DJ reports: Newsom appellate picks confirmed despite rare
opposition at hearing.The Commission on Judicial Appointments unanimously confirmed five of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s appellate nominees Friday, including the elevation of Associate Justice Joanne Motoike to presiding justice of the 4th District Court of Appeal’s Santa Ana division. The hearings were largely routine except for a rare
Benjamin G. Shatz Blogs
Latest from Benjamin G. Shatz
6th Dist. pro tem update
Judge Frederick S. Chung of the Santa Clara County Superior Court will be sitting Pro Tem until July 31, 2026.
In other appellatey news, Bloomberg Law has Ex-Solicitor General Prelogar Joins Tom Goldstein’s Legal Team — Former Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar is joining the legal team of SCOTUSblog.com co-founder Tom Goldstein in his criminal tax
1st Dist. pro tem update
Judge Andrew Sweet of Marin County Superior Court will be sitting pro tempore in First District, Division Four until July 31, 2026.
Remittitur controls over precedent split
The MetNew has C.A. Permits No Deviation From Direction of Remanding Court Despite New Case Law — Opinion Signals That Prerogative of Trial Judge to Follow Decision From Another Appellate District Does Not Extend to Disregarding Remittitur — about this unpub from 2/3 here.
SCOTUS argument observations
SCOTUS Blog’s Amy Howe has What I learned attending all those Supreme Court oral arguments this term. Her key takeaways:1. The bench has gotten hotter.2. The arguments are often long . . . and there’s no sign of them getting any shorter.3. The impact of live audio is real – but not in the
SCOTUS heating up
Bloomberg Law has Supreme Court Sniping Heats Up as Justices Near Opinion Season, which starts out with:Tensions are starting to boil over at the US Supreme Court.Back-and-forth sniping between Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Samuel Alito Monday night marked the latest sign of strain at a court that has become a prominent symbol of
DJ profiles J. Franson
The DJ’s latest appellate justice profile is 5th District Justice Donald Franson’s roots run deep in Fresno legal community — A third-generation judicial officer, Justice Donald R. Franson Jr. reflects on his path to the 5th District Court of Appeal, his father’s influence and a career rooted in Fresno’s legal community.The Fresno region abounds with
4th Dist. payment update
The Fourth District to Implement Online Credit Card Payment ProcessingEffective May 1, 2026, the Fourth District Court of Appeal will begin accepting credit card payments online only. Divisions One (San Diego) and Two (Riverside), which previously accepted credit card payments by phone, will transition fully to online credit card payments. Division Three (Santa Ana) will
J.Duarte to retire
Today’s DJ has 3rd District Justice Elena Duarte to retire after 15 years — Justice Elena J. Duarte will retire at the end of May after 15 years on the appellate bench and a judicial career spanning nearly two decades.The 3d District’s News Release is here: Third Appellate District Associate Justice Elena J. Duarte to
2 new Justices!
Governor Gavin Newsom
announced his nomination of two Court of Appeal Justices: Judge Marsha Amin to
the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division One and Judge Deborah Servino to
the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three.
Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division One
Eran Marie Bermudez, of Imperial County, has been