Metropolitan News-Enterprise

 

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

 

Page 3

 

Schwarzenegger Names Four to Orange, Shasta, Tulare Superior Courts

 

By STEVEN M. ELLIS, Staff Writer

 

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday named four people to judgeships in the Orange, Shasta and Tulare superior courts.

The governor appointed Fourth District Court of Appeal Senior Appellate Attorney Craig L. Griffin and Orange Superior Court Commissioner Cheryl L. Leininger to the Orange Superior Court, and Shasta County Senior Deputy District Attorney Gregory S. Gaul and Tulare Superior Court Commissioner Brett R. Alldredge, respectively, to the other courts.

Griffin, 51, joined the Fourth District’s Div. Three in 2004 after six years as a partner with Connor, Blake & Griffin.

He was admitted to the State Bar in 1989 after attending California State University, Long Beach and Brigham Young University School of Law, and served as an associate for the Law Office of Edmond M. Connor and Associates from 1994 to 1996.

Griffin also served as an associate with Morrison and Foerster during the preceding four years.

A Republican, he fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position last November.

Leininger, 61, has served as a commissioner since 1988 and worked as a deputy public defender for the Orange County Public Defender’s Office from 1983 until joining the bench.

A graduate of California State University, Long Beach and Western State University College of Law, she began her legal career as an attorney with Silvas & Eaton after admission to the State Bar in 1982.

Leininger is registered decline-to-state, and she fills the vacancy created by the Commission on Judicial Performance’s June 2008 removal of Judge Kelly MacEachern for misconduct.

Gaul, 52, has worked for the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office since 1987, and was admitted to the State Bar the preceding year.

A Republican, he graduated from Southwestern University School of Law after attending Cerritos College and California State University, Long Beach.

Gaul fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Steven Jahr.

Alldredge, 55, has served as a commissioner since 1994 and was admitted to the State Bar in 1979 after attending both college and law school at Arizona State University.

He began his legal career as an associate, and later partner, with Sharp & Maroot, and in 1983 became a partner in the firm of McInturff, Behrens & Alldredge.

In 1985, Alldredge became a partner with Farley & Alldredge. He later engaged in solo practice for one year before forming Lynch & Alldredge—where he served as a partner until joining the bench—in 1989.

A Democrat, Alldredge fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Patrick O’Hara.

Compensation for the positions is $178,789.

 

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