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Feb 19, 2026

Governor Newsom announces judicial appointments 2.19.2026

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom announced his nomination of three Court of Appeal Justices: Justice Joanne Motoike as Presiding Justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three, Judge Stephen Goorvitch as Associate Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Two, and Judge Amy Guerra as Associate Justice of the Fifth District Court of Appeal.

The Governor also announced his appointment of seven Superior Court Judges: one in Contra Costa County, two in Los Angeles County, one in Riverside County, one in San Francisco County, and two in Santa Clara County.

Second District Court of Appeal, Division Two

Stephen Goorvitch, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as an Associate Justice in the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Two. Goorvitch has served as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2015. He served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California from 2007 to 2015. He was Counsel at O'Melveny and Myers from 2003 to 2007. Goorvitch served as a law clerk in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 2002 to 2003 and in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California from 2001 to 2002. He served as a Staff Attorney in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from 1998 to 2001. Goorvitch received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Judith T. Ashmann-Gerst. 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 Francis Rothschild. Goorvitch is a Democrat.

Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three

Joanne Motoike, of Orange County, has been appointed to serve as the Presiding Justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three. Motoike has served as an Associate Justice in the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three since 2022. Motoike served as a Judge in the Orange County Superior Court from 2013 to 2022. She served as a Senior Deputy Public Defender at the Orange County Public Defender's Office from 2008 to 2013. Motoike worked as  a Trial Attorney at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal from 2006 to 2008. She served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Orange County Public Defender's Office from 1994 to 2006. Motoike received a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Presiding Justice Kathleen E. O'Leary. 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 Manuel Ramirez. Motoike is a Democrat.

Fifth District Court of Appeal

Amy Guerra, of Fresno County, has been appointed to serve as an Associate Justice of the Fifth District Court of Appeal. Guerra has served as a Judge in the Fresno County Superior Court since 2018. Guerra worked as the Chief Defense Attorney at the Fresno County Alternate Defense Office from 2014 to 2018, where she also worked as an Associate from 2007 to 2014. Guerra received a Juris Doctor degree from the San Joaquin College of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Bruce Smith. 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 Brad Hill. Guerra is a Democrat.

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The compensation for each of these positions is $280,052

Contra Costa Superior Court

Carole Bosch, of Alameda County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Contra Costa County Superior Court. Bosch has served as an Administrative Law Judge at the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board since 2021. She worked as a Supervising Attorney at Hildebrand, McLeod & Nelson from 2017 to 2021. Bosch worked as a Partner at Minnard Bosch from 2016 to 2017. She  worked as an attorney at Kazan McClain Satterley & Greenwood from 2013 to 2016 and at Farrise Law Firm from 2012 to 2013. Bosch was a Partner at Paul and Hanley from 2007 to 2011. She served as an Annual Attorney at the California Supreme Court in 2007. She worked as a Clerk at Hersh & Hersh from 2005 to 2007. Bosch received a Juris Doctor degree from Golden Gate University School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Patricia Scanlon. Bosch is a Democrat.

Los Angeles Superior Court

Victoria Shapiro, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Shapiro has served as a Commissioner at the Los Angeles County Superior since 2026. She served as the Lead Judicial Attorney at the Second District Court of Appeal since 2021, where she also served as a Senior Judicial Attorney from 2016 to 2021 and as a Judicial Attorney from 2015 to 2016. Shapiro worked as an Associate at Arnold & Porter from 2002 to 2010. She worked as the Vice President and General Counsel at The Brain Technologies Corporation from 2000 to 2002. Shapiro worked as an Associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher from 1998 to 2000 and as an Associate at Covington & Burling from 1996 to 1998. She received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Patrick T. Madden. Shapiro is a Democrat.

Anastasia Zykanova, of Orange County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Zykanova has served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Orange County Public Defender's Office since 2018. She served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Kern County Public Defender's Office in 2018. Zykanova  worked as an Associate at Ferentino & Associates from 2012 to 2017. Zykanova received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Ana Luna. Zykanova is a Democrat.

Riverside Superior Court

Thanh Ngo, of Riverside County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Riverside County Superior Court. Ngo has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the San Bernardino District Attorney's Office since 2023. He worked as a Field Counsel at Liberty Mutual Insurance from 2022 to 2023. Ngo served as the Assessment Appeal Policy Director at the Alameda County Assessor's Office from 2020 to 2021. He worked as a Trial Attorney at TDN Law Group from 2013 to 2019. Ngo served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Santa Clara District Attorney's Office from 2006 to 2013. He served as an Assistant District Attorney at the Santa Cruz District Attorney's Office from 2001 to 2005. He worked as an Associate at Terra Law from 2000 to 2001. Ngo served as an Assistant District Attorney at the San Francisco District Attorney's Office from 1996 to 2000. He worked as an Echoing Green Fellow at the Asian Law Caucus from 1994 to 1996. Ngo received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California Los Angeles, School of Law. Effective March 24, 2026, he fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Kira K. Klatchko. Ngo is a Democrat.

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San Francisco Superior Court

Matthew Kahn, of San Francisco County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Francisco County Superior Court. Kahn has worked as a Partner at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher since 2013, where he worked as an associate from 2004 to 2013. Kahn received a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford University School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Mary E. Wiss. Kahn is a Democrat.

Santa Clara Superior Court

Karen Schulz, of San Mateo County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Schulz has served as an Immigration Judge at the U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review since 2021. She worked as Executive Director and Managing Attorney at Step Forward Foundation from 2015 to 2021. Schulz was the owner of the Law Office of Karen Schulz from 2010 to 2018. She received a Juris Doctor degree from the Santa Clara University School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Julianne Sylva. Schulz is a Democrat.

Carl Chamberlin, of San Francisco County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Chamberlin has served as the Lead Appellate Court Attorney at the First District Court of Appeal, First Appellate District since 1999. He served as an Acting Assistant District Attorney at the San Francisco District Attorney's Office in 1992.  Chamberlin worked as an Associate and Of Counsel  at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe from 1985 to 1999. Chamberlin received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Drew Takaichi. Chamberlin is a Democrat.

The compensation for each of these positions is $244,727.

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