Monday, March 2, 2026
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Registrar Permits Proscribed Designation
By Roger M. Grace, editor
news and analysis
The Office of Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder yesterday accepted a judicial candidate’s proposed ballot designation notwithstanding that it is expressly prohibited by case law.
That office approved a description of employee-benefits lawyer Samuel Wolloch Krause as “Attorney/Temporary Judge.” In the 1988 case of Luke v. Superior Court (Jones), Div. Five of this district’s Court of Appeal barred a Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner’s use of the title ‘“Judge, Los Angeles County (Acting),” holding:
“[N]either a court commissioner, nor any other individual who is not a ‘judge,’ as that term is defined in the Constitution and statutes of this state, may utilize a ballot designation containing the word “judge” or a derivative thereof.”
A later decision made an exception for “Administrative Law Judge,” allowing it because it was the candidate’s actual title.
Elections Code Provision
In addition, Elections Code §13107(c) provides.
“A candidate for superior court judge who is an active member of the State Bar and practices law as one of the candidate’s principal professions shall use one of the following ballot designations as the candidate’s ballot designation: ‘Attorney,’ ‘Attorney at Law,’ ‘Lawyer,’ or ‘Counselor at Law.’ The designations ‘Attorney’ and ‘Lawyer’ may be used in combination with one other current principal profession, vocation, or occupation of the candidate, or the principal profession, vocation, or occupation of the candidate during the calendar year immediately preceding the filing of nomination documents.”
It is doubtful that serving as a volunteer pro tem would constitute a “principal” occupation.
That section would also appear to render invalid the ballot designation accepted for Francisco Amador: “Attorney/Lawyer.” Although §13107(c) permits “one other current principal profession” a “lawyer” and an “attorney” are not members of different professions, the words being synonyms.
The accuracy of another designation was successfully challenged. David Ross, a Los Angeles County deputy alternate public defender sought the designation of “Deputy Public Defender, County of Los Angeles.”
Yesterday afternoon, the word “Alternate” weas added to the title.
Thanayi Lindsey’s designation remained “Judge of Administrative California Hearings-Special Education Division” as of mid-afternoon yesterday. Sec. 13107 requires that an attorney for a state agency use “[w]ords designating the actual job title”—which would be “Administrative Law Judge”—and where “the candidate performs quasi-judicial functions for a governmental agency, the full name of the agency shall be included,” which is “Office of Administrative Hearings.”
Offices Sought
Krause is seeking Office No. 65. Others who have filed nominating papers for that seat are Deputy Public Defender Justin Allen Clayton and attorney Chellei G. Jimenez.
Deputy County Counsel Anna Slotky Reitano has taken out nominating papers for that seat but has not filed them. The deadline is Friday.
Amador is seeking Office No. 64. His competitors are Deputy District Attorney Masria Lisa Ghobadi and Deputy Public Defender Rhonda Haymon.
Ross has filed for Office No. 131. His rivals are Administrative Law Judge Troy Slaten and Deputy Public Defender Donna Tryfman.
Lindsey is a candidate for Office No. 181, as is Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Ryan Dibble.
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