SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom Sept. 30 announced his nomination of three Court of Appeal Justices: Justice Brian M. Hoffstadt as Presiding Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Five; Judge Michelle C. Kim as an Associate Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division One; and Judge Anne K. Richardson as an Associate Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Two.
The Gov. also announced his appointment of seven Superior Court Judges, including Los Angeles County.
Second District Court of Appeal
Justice Brian M. Hoffstadt, of Los Angeles County, has been nominated to serve as presiding justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Five. He has served as an associate justice at the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Two since 2014. Justice Hoffstadt served as a judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court from 2010 to 2014. He was a partner at Jones Day from 2007 to 2010 and served as an assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California from 2000 to 2007. Justice Hoffstadt served as senior counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Policy Development from 1998 to 2000 and at the Federal Communications Commission, Office of General Counsel from 1997 to 1998. He served as a law clerk for the Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor at the U.S. Supreme Court from 1996 to 1997 and for the Honorable Cynthia H. Hall at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit from 1995 to 1996. Justice Hoffstadt earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Presiding Justice Laurence D. Rubin. 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. Justice Hoffstadt is a Democrat.
Judge Michelle C. Kim, of Los Angeles County, has been nominated to serve as an associate justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division One. She has served as a Judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2018. Judge Kim served as a deputy alternate public defender at the Los Angeles County Alternate Public Defender’s Office from 2005 to 2018 and as a deputy public defender in the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office from 2003 to 2005. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. Judge Kim fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Victoria D. Chaney. 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. Judge Kim is a Democrat.
Judge Anne K. Richardson, of Los Angeles County, has been nominated to serve as an associate justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Two. She has served as a judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2018. Judge Richardson was a directing attorney at Public Counsel from 2014 to 2018. She was a partner at Hadsell, Stormer, Richardson and Renick LLP from 1998 to 2014 and was an associate there from 1993 to 1998. Judge Richardson was a public interest fellow at Litt and Stormer from 1990 to 1992 and served as a law clerk for the Honorable Mariana R. Pfaelzer at the U.S. District Court, Central District of California from 1989 to 1990. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School. Judge Richardson is being selected to fill the vacancy that will be created pending confirmation of Justice Brian M. Hoffstadt’s appointment as Presiding Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Five. 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. Judge Richardson is a Democrat.
The compensation for each of these positions is $279,151.
Elizabeth L. Bradley, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Bradley has been a partner at Rosen Saba LLP since 2011. She was managing partner at Bradley & Bradley LLP from 2005 to 2011 and an associate at the Law Offices of Alan S. Gutman from 2000 to 2005. Bradley was a sole practitioner from 1997 to 2000. She was an associate at the Law Offices of Elizabeth Franco Bradley from 1996 to 1997 and at Viviano & Bradley from 1994 to 1996. Bradley earned a Juris Doctor degree from the California Western School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael Levanas. Bradley is a Democrat.