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Lawyer Says He Will Challenge LASC Judge James Kaddo
No Word From Incumbent, 87, As to Whether He Plans to Run
By a MetNews Staff Writer
A Van Nuys attorney said yesterday he will challenge Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James A. Kaddo in the June 7 primary.
Kaddo, who will turn 88 one week from today, did not respond to an inquiry as to whether intends to seek reelection. The veteran jurist beat off an election challenge in the 2016 primary.
In that same primary election, Naser J. Khoury—who now says he will run against Kaddo for Office No. 141—sought an open seat, failing to get into the run-off. He received 12.6 percent of the votes in a five-person contest, which was won in the general election by then-Deputy Attorney General (now Judge ) Kim L. Nguyen.
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JAMES KADDO NASER KHOURY L.A. Superior Court Judge Criminal Defense Attorney
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Criminal Conviction
The State Bar website reveals that Khoury incurred a criminal conviction in 1998 which sparked a 1999 private reproval, publicly disclosed. He commented in 2016:
“I had a reckless driving in 1995, if I’m not mistaken. It was a misdemeanor.
“Nothing to do with practice of law. And I was given what’s called a ‘private reproval,’ and that’s the only thing that I have.”
He declared bankruptcy on April 25, 1995.
Khoury’s law degree is from University of West Los Angeles. He was admitted to practice on June 6, 1991.
The attorney did not comment yesterday other than to say that in taking out a petition on which to gain signatures in lieu of a filing fee, he is readying to challenge Kaddo.
Appointed, Elected
Kaddo, whose law degree is from USC, was appointed to the Los Angeles Municipal Court on Jan. 3, 1991, and was elected to the Superior Court in 1994.
In 2016, Kaddo was challenged by lawyer Stepan Baghdassarian. The incumbent amassed 75.67 percent of the vote.
Kaddo was born in Lebanon; Khoury was born in Jordan.
Monday will mark the first day that candidates may file declarations of intent to seek office. The period for filing declarations ends Feb. 9 except that there is a five-day extension where an incumbent who is up for election this year does not file.
Nominating papers must be filed between Feb. 14 and March 11, again with a five-day extension where the incumbent filed a declaration of intent but does not file nominating papers.
Copyright 2022, Metropolitan News Company