SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the appointment of four California superior court judges, which include one in Fresno County and three in San Joaquin County.
Fresno County Superior Court
Samuel J. Dalesandro Jr., 43, of Fresno, has been appointed to a judgeship in the Fresno County Superior Court. Dalesandro has served as a commissioner at the Fresno County Superior Court since 2017. He served as a senior deputy district attorney at the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office from 2008 to 2017 and as an assistant district attorney at the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office from 2006 to 2008. Dalesandro was an associate at the Law Offices of Vincent P. Hurley from 2004 to 2005 and at Mullen & Filippi, LLP from 2003 to 2004. He was an attorney at Tele Atlas North America, Inc. from 2002 to 2003. Dalesandro earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Santa Clara University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Donald Black. Dalesandro is registered without party preference.
San Joaquin County Superior Court
Blanca A. Bañuelos, 43, of Stockton, has been appointed to a judgeship in the San Joaquin County Superior Court. She has been director of the Migrant Unit at California Rural Legal Assistance Inc. since 2016, where she has held several positions since 2004, including regional director of advocacy, dairy project manager and attorney. Bañuelos was a law clerk at the Law Offices of James S. Muller from 2002 to 2003. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School Los Angeles. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Lesley D. Holland. Bañuelos is a Democrat.
Lance G. Jacot, 45, of Stockton, has been appointed to a judgeship in the San Joaquin County Superior Court. Jacot has served as a deputy public defender at the San Joaquin County Public Defender’s Office since 2019. He was a sole practitioner from 2010 to 2019 and served as a deputy public defender at the San Joaquin County Public Defender’s Office from 1999 to 2010. Jacot earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He fills the vacancy of a new position created on September 24, 2019. Jacot is a Democrat.
Jayne C. Lee, 56, of Stockton, has been appointed to a judgeship in the San Joaquin County Superior Court. Lee has served as a commissioner at the San Joaquin County Superior Court since 2018. She served as a judge pro tem and supervising probate attorney at the San Joaquin County Superior Court from 2015 to 2018. She served as a legal research attorney at the Alameda County Superior Court from 2005 to 2015 and was an adjunct professor at the Golden Gate University School of Law from 2004 to 2005. Lee was a contract attorney from 2002 to 2004 and served as a deputy city attorney at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office from 1996 to 2002. She was an associate at Lieff, Cabraser & Heimann from 1995 to 1996, a legal consultant from 1993 to 1995 and a lecturer at Stanford Law School from 1991 to 1993. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and a Master of Laws degree from the Golden Gate University School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Stephen Scott. Lee is a Democrat.
The compensation for each of these positions is $213,833.
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