Monday, March 9, 2026
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One Superior Court Open Seat Is Filled, Possibly Three
By a MetNews Staff Writer
One Los Angeles Superior Court open seat was unofficially won on Friday, the last day for filing nominating papers, by Deputy Public Defender Binh Q. Dang, and it appears that Deputy District Attorney Gloria Marin and Ann M. Maurer, chief assistant city attorney of Glendale, are unopposed.
It was a day of suspense as to which of two Los Angeles Superior Court seats Deputy District Attorney Angie Christides would file for, the significance being that if she filed for one of them, the sole candidate seeking the other office would attain a judgeship. She has taken out nominating petitions for the same offices as Deputy District Attorney Irene Lee and Dang.
Shortly before 5 p.m., it was rumored that an agent for Christides had sent an agent to file for the same seat as Lee. Although the office officially closes at 5 p.m., papers are accepted later than that from persons already in line.
Christides filed for Office No. 14 and will face Lee in the June 2 primary.
Private practitioner Zachary Smith took out a nominating petition for the office being sought by Marin but apparently had not returned it Friday. Likewise, Deputy District Attorney Rosalba Luz Gutierrez pulled a nominating petition for the seat for which Maurer filed but it appears did not perfect her candidacy.
Filings sometimes appear on the Registrar-Recorder’s website beyond 5 p.m.
12 Open Seats
Twelve Los Angeles Superior Court judges who were up for election this year opted not to run, creating open seats. One of those seats unofficially went to Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Candice J. Henry when no other person filed a declaration of intent to run for it by the deadline.
Another seat became destined to go to Deputy District Attorney Mariela Torres when her two potential opponents—Administrative Law Judge Dieter Carlos Dammeier and attorney Samuel Wolloch Krause—each opted to go into the race for another seat.
Three Los Angeles Superior Court judges drew challenges: Robert Draper, Pat Connolly, and David Walgren.
Draper is under investigation by the Commission on Judicial Performance for unethical conduct, but the commission has indicated that he might be suffering a disability, raising the prospect of a forced disability retirement. Opposing him is Deputy District Attorney Tal K. Valbuena.
Connolly has received three rebukes by the commission, one private. Seeking to unseat him is Deputy District Attorney Paul A. Thompson.
Walgren is opposed by attorney Dan Kapelovitz, whose law firm is “Radical Law Center.”
Political Consultant
Crystal Litz has emerged as the premier political consultant in judicial races, a distinction that had been held by Joseph R. Cerrell from the 1970s until his death in 2010.
Litz, who worked for Cerrell Associates and then set up her own agency, this year signed up as clients Henry, Lee, Connolly, Walgren, Marin, and Maurer, as well as private practitioner David DeJute, Deputy Public Defender Donna Tryfman, attorney Chellei Jimenez, and Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Ryan Dibble.
A chart showing which candidate is running for what office will appear in tomorrow’s issue.
Copyright 2026, Metropolitan News Company