Governor Appoints 26 New Judges
By Amy Yarbrough
Daily Journal Staff Writer
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has named 26 new trial-court judges to the bench, filling the first of the new positions created by politically contentious legislation signed last year.
All but three of the appointments - in San Bernardino, Sacramento, Riverside, Fresno, Sonoma, Kern, San Joaquin, Solano, Tulare, Placer and Merced counties - are the result of SB 56, which provided funding for 50 new judges to relieve backlog in the state's courts. The legislation was nearly derailed last year over complaints that the governor's judicial picks weren't diverse enough.
Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez slashed funding for 25 of the judges at one point, demanding the governor show he is committed to diversity by making certain changes, including tracking judicial applicants' ethnicity and race.
On Monday, Nunez's office said the governor appeared not to be living up to his promise.
"The speaker is saddened and disappointed by the governor's continued failure to bring more diversity to the bench," Nunez's spokesman, Steven Magvilio, wrote in an E-mail.
Assemblyman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento, chair of the Assembly Judiciary Committee had similar criticism, noting that only four of the 26 new judges are people of color and eight of them women.
Jones is sponsoring AB 159, legislation this year to create 50 more judgeships. The Administrative Office of the Courts has asked for 50 more judgeships in 2008.
Jones said the likelihood of the Legislature's approving funding for additional judgeships would decrease, should the governor fail to close the "diversity gap."
"The Legislature made it clear last year that our trial courts should better reflect the diversity of this state," Jones said in a written statement. "I am disappointed that in this first round of appointments the governor has missed the opportunity to appoint more qualified minority candidates to serve on the bench."
Gena Grebitus, a spokeswoman for the governor's office, said SB 56 is a "significant step to relieve the burden on our court and also provide an opportunity to add much needed diversity." Grebitus said the governor's office is committed to appointing the best candidates to fill the new judgeships and will continue to do so.
The Judicial Council determined, based on need, that San Bernardino County should receive eight judges, the lion's share of the judgeships created by SB 56. Riverside County was next with seven, followed by Sacramento County with five and Fresno County with four. The appointments, announced late Friday, follow:

San Bernardino County
Colin J. Bilash, 51, of Villa Park, a deputy district attorney with the San Bernardino County district attorney's office since 1989.
Cara D. Hutson, 41, Rancho Cucamonga, a deputy district attorney with the San Bernardino County district attorney's office since 1994.
Robert J. Lemkau, 60, of Rancho Cucamonga, a deputy district attorney with the San Bernardino County district attorney's office since 1972.
Steven A. Mapes, 42, of Redlands, a deputy public defender for the San Bernardino County public defender's office since 1998. Mapes fills a position created by the retirement of Judge Raymond Youngquist.
Michael A. Sachs, 47, of Highland, chief deputy county counsel with the litigation unit of the San Bernardino county counsel's office since 1994.
Wilfred J. Schneider Jr., 56, of San Bernardino, an associate with Ponsor & Associates since 2000.

Sacramento County
Stacey Boulware Eurie, 36, of Sacramento, a supervising deputy attorney general for the California attorney general's office since 2000.
Matthew J. Gary, 45, of Carmichael, a commissioner of the Sacramento County Superior Court since 2002.
Kevin J. McCormick, 46, of Rocklin, a deputy district attorney for the Sacramento County district attorney's office since 2004.
Delbert W. Oros, 51, of Roseville, a commissioner of the Sacramento County Superior Court since 2006.

Riverside County
Marc R. Fisher, 54, of Riverside, an attorney with Bonnie Moss & Associates since 1998.
Timothy F. Freer, 44, of Temecula, a deputy district attorney for the Riverside County district attorney's office since 1989.
Charles J. Koosed, 39, of Riverside, a commissioner for the Riverside County Superior Court since 2005.

Fresno County
Brian M. Arax, 49, of Fresno, an attorney with McCormick, Barstow, Sheppard, Wayte & Carruth since 1983.
Alvin M. Harrell, 44, of Clovis, a prosecutor with the Fresno County district attorney's office since 1994.
Kristi Culver Kapetan, 43, of Fresno, an assistant U.S. attorney with the U.S. attorney's office in Fresno since 2003.

Sonoma County
Gary A. Medvigy, 51, of Sebastopol, a deputy district attorney with the Sonoma County district attorney's office since 1988 and
Dana B. Simonds, 47, of Santa Rosa, an attorney with Shapiro, Galvin, Shapiro, Piasta & Moran since 1996. Simonds fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Raymond J. Giordano.

Kern County
John R. Brownlee, 44, of Bakersfield, a supervising deputy district attorney for the Kern County district attorney's office since 2003 and David R. Lampe, 55, of Bakersfield, a partner with LeBeau-Thelen since 1985.

San Joaquin County
Roger Ross, 58, of Stockton, chief deputy public defender for the San Joaquin County public defender's office where he began in 1977.
Xapuri Villapudua, 38, of Stockton, a deputy district attorney with the San Joquin County district attorney's office since 1995.

Solano County
Donna L. Stashyn, 42, of Vacaville, a commissioner for the Solano County Superior Court since 2005.

Tulare County
Kathryn T. Montejano, 54, of Three Rivers, supervising attorney with the Tulare County district attorney's office since 1993.

Placer County
Mark S. Curry, 47, of Loomis, a deputy district attorney for the Sacramento County district attorney's office since 1986.

Merced County
Carol K. Ash, 51, of Merced, senior staff attorney at the Merced County Superior Court since 1999. Ash fills a vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Robert Quall.

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