Newsom Appoints Four to L.A. Superior Court

Wednesday, December 24, 2025

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Newsom Appoints Four to L.A. Superior Court

By a MetNews Staff Writer

Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed four persons to the Los Angeles Superior Court.

He announced late Monday that he selected Sarah J. Ellenberg, who has served as a court commissioner since April 2024, to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Juan C. Dominguez.

A graduate of New York University School of Law, Ellenberg previously worked as an attorney at the Independent Defense Counsel Office, the California Appellate Project, and served as co-executive director of the LAW Project of Los Angeles, in addition to her time as a deputy with the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office and Alternate Public Defender’s Office.

Succeeding retired Judge Scott T. Millington is Jonathan Eisenman, who earned his law degree from the University of Texas. Eisenman has served as assistant general counsel for the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power since earlier this year.

He previously worked as a deputy Los Angeles city attorney from 2018-25 and as an associate at Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland from 2015-18.

Erin Donovan, a partner at Musick, Peeler & Garrett since 2012, has been chosen for the seat previously occupied by Judge Mark Hanasono, who was elevated to this district’s Court of Appeal in July. Donovan earned her law degree from Loyola.

Filling the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Armen Tamzarian to this district’s Court of Appeal earlier this year is Erin Reed, a graduate of the UC Davis School of Law. Reed has served as a senior appellate attorney and appellate attorney with the court for this district since 2014, and she worked as an associate at Collins & Collins from 2013-14.

Newsom also selected one judge each for the counties of San Bernardino and Tulare.

All of the appointees are Democrats.