SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced his appointment of eight Superior Court Judges, which include one in Los Angeles County; one in Nevada County; two in Orange County; one in San Bernardino County; one in San Diego County; one in Ventura County; and one in Yolo County.
Los Angeles County Superior Court
Gary Rowe, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Rowe has served as a Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, Civil Rights Enforcement Section since June 2023. He served as a Deputy Federal Public Defender at the Office of the Federal Public Defender, Central District of California from 2014 to June 2023. He was an Associate at Greines, Martin, Stein and Richland LLP from 2011 to 2014. Rowe was a Visiting Associate Professor of Law at Southwestern Law School from 2009 to 2010 and at the University of Texas Law School from 2008 to 2009. He was an Acting Professor of Law at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law from 2001 to 2008 and served as Special Assistant to the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Office of Management and Budget from 1994 to 1995. Rowe served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable William A. Norris at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 1993 to 1994 and was an Associate at Wilmer, Cutler and Pickering from 1992 to 1993. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School, a Master of Arts degree in American History from Princeton University and a Master of Studies degree in Modern History from the University of Oxford. Rowe fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Christine Byrd. He is a Democrat.
Nevada County Superior Court
Alissa Bjerkhoel, of San Diego County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Nevada County Superior Court. Bjerkhoel has been Litigation Coordinator for the California Innocence Project at the California Western School of Law since 2016 and was a Staff Attorney there from 2008 to 2016. She has served as a Panel Attorney for the Sixth District Appellate Program since 2012 and for Appellate Defenders Inc. since 2010. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the California Western School of Law. Bjerkhoel was born and raised in Nevada County. She will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Candace S. Heidelberger effective November 27, 2023. Bjerkhoel is a Democrat.
Orange County Superior Court
Mena Guirguis, of Orange County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Orange County Superior Court. Guirguis has served as Senior Deputy District Attorney and Assistant Head of the Felony Panel at the Orange County District Attorney’s Office since 2022, and has served in several positions there since 2006. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School Los Angeles. Guirguis fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Derek W. Hunt. Guirguis is registered without party preference.
Ami Sheth Sagel, of Orange County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Orange County Superior Court. Sagel has been a Sole Practitioner since 2015. She served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California from 2009 to 2015. Sagel was an Associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP from 2006 to 2009. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School. Sagel fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Claudia Silbar. She is a Democrat.
San Bernardino County Superior Court
Lenita Skoretz, of San Bernardino County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Bernardino County Superior Court. Skoretz has been a Sole Practitioner since 1997. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law and a Master of Arts degree in History from Andrews University. Skoretz fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Bryan Foster. She is a Democrat.
San Diego County Superior Court
Danna Nicholas, of San Diego County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. Nicholas has served as Lead Deputy City Attorney in the General Litigation Section of the San Diego City Attorney’s Office since 2017 and has served as a Deputy City Attorney there since 2004. She served as an Assistant Public Defender at the Alaska Public Defender Agency from 2000 to 2002. Nicholas earned a Juris Doctor degree from the California Western School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Julia K. Kelety to the Court of Appeal. She is a Democrat.
Ventura County Superior Court
Paul Feldman, of Ventura County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Ventura County Superior Court. Feldman has served as a Commissioner at the Ventura County Superior Court since 2022. He served as a Deputy Inspector General at the U.S. Department of the Air Force from 2022 to 2023. Feldman served as Senior Deputy District Attorney at the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office from 2012 to 2022. He served in several roles with the U.S. Department of the Air Force from 2012 to 2022, including Deputy Staff Judge Advocate and Assistant Staff Judge Advocate. Feldman served as a Deputy District Attorney at the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office from 2008 to 2012. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. Feldman fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Tari Cody to the Court of Appeal. He is a Democrat.
Yolo County Superior Court
Danette Castillo Brown, of Yolo County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Yolo County Superior Court. Brown has served as an Administrative Law Judge for the Office of Administrative Hearings since 2011. She has been an Instructor at Lincoln Law School of Sacramento since 2003. Brown served as Staff Counsel at the California Department of Insurance from 2001 to 2011 and at the California Department of Pesticide Regulation from 1999 to 2001. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Northern California, Lorenzo Patiño School of Law. Brown fills the vacancy created by the transfer of Judge Peter M. Williams to the Sacramento County Superior Court. She is a Democrat.
The compensation for each of these positions is $232,399.
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