Judges on your ballot — Second District
November 3, 2026 General Election — the only judges and justices you vote on if you live in Los Angeles County
Is this your page? You vote in the Second Appellate District if you live in Los Angeles County. This page shows only the judges on your ballot — the 2 statewide California Supreme Court justices plus the 18 Court of Appeal justices in your district. Not sure which district you’re in?
How retention works: California appellate justices are appointed by the governor but must face the voters to keep their seats. They run unopposed in “retention” elections — there is no opponent, just a Yes (keep) or No (remove) question, and a justice removed this way is replaced by gubernatorial appointment. These are nonpartisan races.
California Supreme Court
2 questions • every voter in California votes on these
Joshua Groban Retention
Associate Justice • California Supreme Court
A former senior policy adviser to Gov. Brown and, before that, a private-practice antitrust and intellectual-property litigator. Served as a judge pro tem on the Court of Appeal before joining the state's highest court. UC Berkeley School of Law (J.D.).
Appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown (2018) to succeed a retired justice; every California voter gets this Yes/No question.
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice Joshua Groban be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Kelli M. Evans Retention
Associate Justice • California Supreme Court
A former Alameda County Superior Court judge who previously served as Gov. Newsom's chief deputy on legal affairs. Earlier in her career she worked as a civil-rights attorney and public defender and served as a senior director at the California State Bar.
Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (2022); every California voter gets this Yes/No question.
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice Kelli M. Evans be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Court of Appeal — Second District
18 questions • voters in Los Angeles CountySecond District, Division 1
2 questions
Michelle C. Kim Retention
Associate Justice • 2nd District, Division 1
Longtime Los Angeles public defender who rose to departmental head deputy in the Alternate Public Defender's Office before taking the bench. Stanford (B.A.) and UCLA School of Law (J.D.).
Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (2024); prior Los Angeles County Superior Court, appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown (2018).
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice Michelle C. Kim be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Gregory J. Weingart Retention
Associate Justice • 2nd District, Division 1
Former assistant U.S. attorney who led the Major Frauds section in Los Angeles, later a partner at Munger Tolles & Olson. Harvard Law School (J.D.). As a trial judge he presided primarily over family-law matters.
Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (2022); prior Los Angeles County Superior Court, appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown (2017).
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice Gregory J. Weingart be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Second District, Division 2
2 questions
Anne Richardson Retention
Associate Justice • 2nd District, Division 2
Two-decade civil-rights litigator (Hadsell Stormer Richardson & Renick) and later director of complex consumer litigation at Public Counsel. Stanford Law School (J.D.); twice a California Lawyer Attorney of the Year awardee.
Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (2024); prior Los Angeles County Superior Court, appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown (2018).
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice Anne Richardson be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Steve Goorvitch Retention
Associate Justice • 2nd District, Division 2
Presided over civil and criminal cases on the Los Angeles County Superior Court, and served as its judicial mentor program chair, before his 2026 elevation to the Court of Appeal.
Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (2026); prior Los Angeles County Superior Court, appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown (2015).
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice Steve Goorvitch be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Second District, Division 3
2 questions
Rashida A. Adams Retention
Presiding Justice • 2nd District, Division 3
Presided over juvenile dependency and criminal courtrooms on the Los Angeles Superior Court before her appellate appointment. Rated “exceptionally well qualified” for both appellate roles.
Appointed Presiding Justice by Gov. Gavin Newsom (2026), after first being appointed an Associate Justice by Gov. Newsom (2023); prior Los Angeles County Superior Court, appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown (2017).
Ballot question: “Shall Presiding Justice Rashida A. Adams be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Mark Hanasono Retention
Associate Justice • 2nd District, Division 3
Former LA County public defender and alternate public defender (including capital felonies) who served nearly 12 years in the Criminal Division as a trial judge. UC Berkeley (B.A.) and Georgetown (J.D.).
Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (2025); prior Los Angeles County Superior Court, appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown (2013).
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice Mark Hanasono be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Second District, Division 4
4 questions
Helen Zukin Retention
Presiding Justice • 2nd District, Division 4
Longtime plaintiffs' lawyer — including partner at Kiesel Law LLP — before joining the Los Angeles bench in 2018. Loyola Law School (J.D.).
Appointed Presiding Justice by Gov. Gavin Newsom (2025), after first being appointed an Associate Justice by Gov. Newsom (2023); prior Los Angeles County Superior Court, appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown (2018).
Ballot question: “Shall Presiding Justice Helen Zukin be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Nicholas Daum Retention
Associate Justice • 2nd District, Division 4
Complex, high-stakes litigation attorney for the media and entertainment industries (partner at Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP) before becoming an LA County Superior Court judge. Yale Law School (J.D.), where he was Notes Editor of the Yale Law Journal.
Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, confirmed August 2026; prior Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice Nicholas Daum be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Audra M. Mori Retention
Associate Justice • 2nd District, Division 4
Intellectual-property and commercial litigator who became the first woman of color to serve as managing partner of a Perkins Coie office, and a past president of the Japanese American Bar Association.
Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (2023); prior Los Angeles County Superior Court, appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown (2018).
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice Audra M. Mori be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Armen Tamzarian Retention
Associate Justice • 2nd District, Division 4
Lead appellate court attorney for the Second District's Division Three before joining the trial bench in 2013. Southwestern Law School (J.D.).
Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, confirmed June 2025; prior Los Angeles County Superior Court, appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown (2013).
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice Armen Tamzarian be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Second District, Division 5
1 question
Brian M. Hoffstadt Retention
Presiding Justice • 2nd District, Division 5
Former federal prosecutor (white-collar fraud, computer hacking) and Criminal Appeals attorney for the U.S. Attorney's Office who has now been appointed to the bench by governors of both parties. UCLA School of Law (J.D.).
Appointed Presiding Justice by Gov. Gavin Newsom (2024); served as an Associate Justice since 2014 (appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown); prior Los Angeles County Superior Court, appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (2010).
Ballot question: “Shall Presiding Justice Brian M. Hoffstadt be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Second District, Division 6
2 questions
Tari L. Cody Retention
Presiding Justice • 2nd District, Division 6
Ventura County trial judge for 22 years (family, civil, criminal, appellate, probate, juvenile) before her elevation. Loyola Law School (J.D.); past president of Women Lawyers of Ventura County.
Appointed Presiding Justice by Gov. Gavin Newsom (2026), after first being appointed an Associate Justice by Gov. Newsom (2023); prior Ventura County Superior Court for 22 years, appointed by Gov. Gray Davis.
Ballot question: “Shall Presiding Justice Tari L. Cody be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Kenneth R. Yegan Retention
Associate Justice • 2nd District, Division 6
The most senior justice on the ballot — on the Court of Appeal since 1990 — after a career as a Ventura County prosecutor, judicial attorney, and municipal and superior court judge. McGeorge School of Law (J.D.).
Appointed by Gov. George Deukmejian (1990).
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice Kenneth R. Yegan be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Second District, Division 7
2 questions
Gonzalo C. Martinez Retention
Presiding Justice • 2nd District, Division 7
Former deputy judicial appointments secretary in the Governor's Office and deputy solicitor general in the California Attorney General's Office, then an appellate-law specialist in private practice. Harvard Law School (J.D.); born in Porterville.
Appointed Presiding Justice by Gov. Gavin Newsom (2024), after first being appointed an Associate Justice by Gov. Newsom (2023).
Ballot question: “Shall Presiding Justice Gonzalo C. Martinez be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Natalie Stone Retention
Associate Justice • 2nd District, Division 7
Appellate court attorney to Justice Thomas Willhite for five years, then nine years on the Los Angeles trial bench handling juvenile dependency and criminal matters.
Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (2024); prior Los Angeles County Superior Court, appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown (2015).
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice Natalie Stone be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Second District, Division 8
3 questions
John Wiley Retention
Associate Justice • 2nd District, Division 8
Law professor at UCLA (tenured, Distinguished Teaching Award) and visiting professor at Harvard, a former federal prosecutor, and a clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. UC Berkeley School of Law (J.D.).
Appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown (2018); prior Los Angeles County Superior Court (2002).
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice John Wiley be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Matthew A. Scherb Retention
Associate Justice • 2nd District, Division 8
Appellate specialist who served as an appellate court attorney, a lawyer in the LA City Attorney's civil appeals division, and chambers attorney to Supreme Court Justice Martin J. Jenkins before his appointment.
Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, confirmed November 2025.
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice Matthew A. Scherb be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Victor G. Viramontes Retention
Associate Justice • 2nd District, Division 8
Longtime civil-rights lawyer at MALDEF and a federal trial attorney at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission before joining the Los Angeles bench in 2017.
Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (2022); prior Los Angeles County Superior Court, appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown (2017).
Ballot question: “Shall Associate Justice Victor G. Viramontes be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
Bottom line: A “Yes” vote retains the justice for another term; a “No” vote removes them. Most justices are retained by wide margins, but this is the only vote voters get on the appellate bench.
Sources
- Official Secretary of State — List of Judicial Candidates (certified Aug. 24, 2026); ballot questions shown verbatim
- appellate.courts.ca.gov — official justice biographies and appointing governors
- CalMatters 2026 voter guide — California Supreme Court retentions (Groban, Evans)
- LAist 2026 voter guide — which appellate district appears on each county’s ballot