Gov. Newsom Announces Judicial Appointments

Judge Audra Mori, 55, of Los Angeles County, has been nominated to serve as an Associate Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Four. She has served as a Judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2018. Judge Mori was Managing Partner of the Los Angeles Office of Perkins Coie LLP from 2017 to 2018, where she was a Partner from 2005 to 2018. She was a Partner at Piper Rudnick LLP from 2002 to 2004 and at Preston, Gates and Ellis LLP in 2002, where she was an Associate from 1998 to 2001. Judge Mori was an Associate at Andrews Kurth LLP from 1996 to 1998 and served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Richard W. Goldberg at the U.S. Court of International Trade from 1994 to 1996. She was an Associate at Brobeck, Phleger and Harrison from 1992 to 1994. Mori earned a Juris Doctor degree from Cornell Law School. Judge Mori fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Thomas Willhite. This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, which consists of Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Senior Presiding Justice Arthur Gilbert. She is registered without party preference.

Richard Bloom, 69, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Bloom served as a California State Assemblymember representing the 50th Assembly District from 2013 to 2022. Bloom was Executive Director for Community Initiatives at People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) from 2008 to 2010 and was Executive Director of the Levitt Quinn Family Law Center from 2005 to 2007. He served in several roles as a Member of the Santa Monica City Council from 1999 to 2012, including as Mayor and Mayor pro Tempore. Bloom was a Sole Practitioner from 1978 to 2005. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School. Bloom fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Sherilyn P. Garnett. He is a Democrat.