Chief Justice Names Six New Members to Judicial Council

Monday, June 2, 2014

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Chief Justice Names Six New Members to Judicial Council

Superior Court Judge Buckley, Candidate for APJ, Tapped as Advisory Member

By a MetNews Staff Writer

Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye Friday named six new members to the Judicial Council of California, including Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel Buckley as an advisory member.

The new members will serve three year terms beginning Sept. 15.

Appointed as voting members were Monterey Superior Court Presiding Judge Marla O. Anderson, Ventura Superior Court Presiding Judge Brian J. Back, and San Luis Obispo Superior Court Assistant Presiding Judge Martin J. Tangeman.

DANIEL BUCKLEY

Superior Court Judge

“This is the first time in more than 40 years that voting members have been appointed from Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties,” the Administrative Office of the Courts noted in a press release.

Chosen as non-voting advisory members, besides Buckley—a candidate for assistant presiding judge of the court—were Butte Superior Court Commissioner David E. Gunn and Napa Superior Court Executive Officer Richard D. Feldstein.

Leaving the council at the end of their terms will be Shasta Superior Court Judge Stephen H. Baker, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Teri L. Jackson, Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Mary Ann O’Malley, Alameda Superior Court Commissioner Sue Alexander, and Santa Clara Superior Court Executive Officer David Yamasaki.

The chief justice said in a statement:

“I am grateful that these judicial leaders, all of whom have contributed much to the council’s advisory committees, are willing to take on the tremendous effort involved in providing access to justice. I believe the council is making great strides in moving the judicial branch forward amid many challenges, but much work remains ahead of us. I welcome the energy and talent of our new members and deeply thank our dedicated and talented outgoing members.”

Fourth District Court of Appeal Justice Douglas P. Miller, who chairs the council’s Executive and Planning Committee, which reviews nominations to the council, praised the “diverse viewpoints and deep experience” of the appointees. He noted that they “come from courts of all sizes in our very diverse state.”

Under the state Constitution, the chief justice chairs the Judicial Council and appoints the other 14 voting judicial members—one from the Supreme Court, three from the Court of Appeal, and 10 from the superior courts. The other six voting members are four attorneys appointed by the State Bar Board of Trustees and one members of each house of the Legislature, historically the chairs of their respective Judiciary committees.

The chief justice also appoints, as advisory members, two court administrators “and any other nonvoting members as determined by the voting membership of the council.” The council recently voted to add one advisory member; with these appointments, the council will have 12 advisory members.

Buckley, who heads the local court’s civil departments, informed his colleagues in March that he would seek election as assistant presiding judge in the September balloting, becoming the first candidate to do so. The assistant presiding judge serves a two-year term, and is traditionally elected unopposed as presiding judge for the following two years.