SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced his nomination of Judge Shama Hakim Mesiwala to serve as an Associate Justice of the Third District Court of Appeal. The Governor also announced his appointment of 15 Superior Court Judges, which include one in Alameda County; one in Contra Costa County; three in Los Angeles County; two in Orange County; four in San Bernardino County; one in San Diego County; two in San Francisco County; and one in San Mateo County.

Third District Court of Appeal

Judge Shama Hakim Mesiwala, 48, of Yolo County, has been nominated to serve as an Associate Justice of the Third District Court of Appeal. She has served as a Judge at the Sacramento County Superior Court since 2017 and was a Commissioner there in 2017. Judge Mesiwala has been an Adjunct Professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law since 2013. She was a Judicial Attorney at the Third District Court of Appeal from 2004 to 2017, where she served as a Senior Judicial Attorney for the Honorable Ronald B. Robie from 2006 to 2017 and as a Central Staff Attorney from 2004 to 2006. Judge Mesiwala served as a Staff Attorney at the Central California Appellate Program from 1999 to 2004 and as an Attorney at the Office of the Federal Public Defender, Eastern District of California in 1999. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law. Judge Mesiwala fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Coleman A. Blease. This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, which consists of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Senior Presiding Justice Ronald Robie. She is a Democrat.

The compensation for this position is $264,542.

Alameda County Superior Court

Toni Mims-Cochran, 53, of Alameda County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Alameda County Superior Court. Mims-Cochran has served as a Commissioner at the Alameda County Superior Court since 2016. She was a Sole Practitioner from 2002 to 2016 and an Attorney at the Eviction Defense Center from 2000 to 2002. Mims-Cochran earned a Juris Doctor degree from the San Joaquin College of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Leopoldo E. Dorado. Mims-Cochran is a Democrat.

Contra Costa County Superior Court

Shara Beltramo, 44, of Contra Costa County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Contra Costa County Superior Court. Beltramo has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office since 2018. She was an Associate at the Morrill Law Firm from 2016 to 2017 and served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office from 2004 to 2016. Beltramo earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Steven K. Austin. Beltramo is registered without party preference.

Los Angeles County Superior Court

Diane Goodman, 64, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Goodman has been a Sole Practitioner since 2010. She was a Partner at the Law Office of Goodman & Metz from 1994 to 2010 and an Associate at the Law Office of Goldstein & Goodman from 1990 to 1994. Goodman was an Associate and Law Clerk at the Law Office of Sherwin Edelberg from 1984 to 1990. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of La Verne College of Law and Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Arts degrees in Depth Psychology from the Pacifica Graduate Institute. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Susan L. Lopez-Giss. Goodman is a Democrat.

Angel Navarro, 58, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Navarro has served as a Commissioner at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2022 and has been a Sole Practitioner since 2010. He served as a Supervising Deputy Federal Public Defender at the Federal Public Defender’s Office,  Central District of California from 2004 to 2010 and served as a Deputy Federal Public Defender there from 1992 to 2004. Navarro earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Daniel J. Buckley. Navarro is a Democrat.

Terry Truong, 55, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Truong has served as a Commissioner at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2014. She served as a Deputy County Counsel at the Los Angeles County Counsel’s Office from 2013 to 2014. She served as a Referee at the Los Angeles County Superior Court from 2007 to 2013 and as a Research Attorney there from 1997 to 2007. Truong was an Attorney at the Children’s Law Center from 1994 to 1996. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge William D. Stewart. Truong is a Democrat.

Orange County Superior Court

Robert Goodkin, 42, of Orange County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Orange County Superior Court. Goodkin has been a Senior Deputy District Attorney at the Orange County District Attorney’s Office since 2021 and has served in several roles there since 2007. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Santa Clara University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Charles Margines. Goodkin is a Democrat.

Julie Swain, 52, of Orange County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Orange County Superior Court. Swain has been a Sole Practitioner since 2010. She served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office from 1997 to 2010. Swain earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Joy W. Markman. Swain is a Democrat.

San Bernardino County Superior Court

Rasheed Alexander, 59, of Riverside County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Bernardino County Superior Court. Alexander has served as Assistant Public Defender at the San Bernardino County Public Defender’s Office since 2021, where he has served in several positions since 2017. He served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office from 2001 to 2006. Alexander earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Western State College of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Ronald M. Christianson. Alexander is a Democrat.

Jeffrey Erickson, 61, of San Bernardino County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Bernardino County Superior Court. Erickson has been a Partner at Raynes Erickson since 2012. He was a Partner at LaFollette Johnson, DeHaas, Fesler and Ames from 2000 to 2012 and an Associate there from 1990 to 2000. Erickson was an Associate at Bonne, Jones, Bridges et. al. from 1988 to 1990. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Christopher B. Marshall. Erickson  is registered without party preference.

Marie Moreno Myers, 63, of San Bernardino County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Bernardino County Superior Court. Moreno Myers has been a Sole Practitioner since 2010. She was an Associate at the Law Office of Swanson and Myers from 2004 to 2010. Moreno Myers earned a Juris Doctor degree from California Southern Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge David A. Williams. Moreno Myers  is a Democrat.

Stephanie Tanada, 41, of San Bernardino County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Bernardino County Superior Court. Tanada has served as a Research Attorney for the Orange County Superior Court since 2022. She was an Associate at Jackson Lewis PC from 2020 to 2022. She was a Partner at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP from 2018 to 2020 and an Associate there from 2008 to 2018. Tanada earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Florida State University College of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Stanford E. Reichert. Tanada is a Democrat.

San Diego County Superior Court

Rebecca Church, 42, of San Diego County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. Church has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California since 2015. She was an Associate at Duane Morris LLP from 2012 to 2014 and served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Ruben B. Brooks at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California from 2008 to 2010. Church earned a Juris Doctor degree from the California Western School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Lorna A. Alksne. Church is registered without party preference.

San Francisco County Superior Court

Simon J. Frankel, 59, of San Francisco County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Francisco County Superior Court. Frankel has been a Partner at Covington & Burling LLP since 2006. He was a Partner at Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin from 2001 to 2006 and an Associate there from 1994 to 2001. Frankel served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Pierre Leval at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 1992 to 1993 and for the Honorable Stephen Breyer at the U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit, from 1991 to 1992. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Harold E. Kahn. Frankel is a Democrat.

Michael Rhoads, 38, of San Francisco County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Francisco County Superior Court. Rhoads has served as Chambers Attorney to Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye at the Supreme Court of California since 2018. He served as a Staff Attorney at the Supreme Court of California from 2016 to 2018 and as a Deputy Attorney General at the California Attorney General’s Office from 2015 to 2016 and from 2010 to 2012. Rhoads served as a Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary in the Office of the Governor from 2012 to 2015. He was a Graduate Law Clerk at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office from 2009 to 2010. Rhoads earned a Juris Doctor degree from the George Washington University Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Angela M. Bradstreet. Rhoads is a Democrat.

San Mateo County Superior Court

Jeffrey Jackson, 49, of San Mateo County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Mateo County Superior Court. Jackson has been a Partner at Jackson Law LLP and an Attorney at the San Mateo County Private Defender Program since 2008. He was an Associate at Ropers Majeski Kohn & Bentley from 2007 to 2008. Jackson served as a Deputy District Attorney at the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office from 2001 to 2007. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Santa Clara University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Gerald J. Buchwald. Jackson is a Democrat.

The compensation for each of these positions is $231,174.