Governor Newsom Announces Judicial Appointments

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom July 18 announced his appointment of 11 Superior Court Judges, which include these four in Los Angeles County.

Los Angeles County Superior Court

Damaris Diaz, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Diaz has served as an assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California since 2016. She was a senior associate at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP from 2011 to 2016 and an associate there from 2007 to 2011. Diaz earned a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Stephen A. Marcus. Diaz is a Democrat.

Janet Hong, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Hong has been a sole practitioner since 2015. She was an adjunct lecturer at the University of California, Irvine School of Law from 2019 to 2023. Hong was an associate at Cheong & Denove from 2020 to 2021 and at Hennig Kramer Ruiz & Singh from 2013 to 2015. She served as a trial attorney at the Alternate Public Defender’s Office of Los Angeles County from 2006 to 2013 and for The Legal Aid Society from 2002 to 2006. Hong earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the transfer of Judge Michael Kelley to the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. Hong is a Democrat.

Cindy Pánuco, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Pánuco has been of counsel at Perez & Perez, APC since 2023. She held several positions at Public Counsel from 2019 to 2023, including vice president and chief programs officer and directing attorney of the Consumer Rights and Economic Justice Project. Pánuco was a partner at Hadsell Stormer & Renick LLP from 2016 to 2019 and an associate there from 2009 to 2016. She was an American Board of Trial Advocates fellow and a law clerk at the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Central District of California in 2009. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge David Rosen. Pánuco is a Democrat. 

Tiffany Tai, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Tai has served as a commissioner at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2022. She was a partner at Ritt, Tai, Thvedt & Hodges LLP from 2005 to 2022 and was an associate there from 1997 to 2005. Tai earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Howard C. Horn. Tai is registered without party preference.

The compensation for each of these positions is $238,479.