Friday, February 6, 2026
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11 of 12 L.A. Superior Court Open Seats Are Staked Out
Deputy District Attorney to File Declaration of Intent to Seek Remaining Office; Judge Pat Connolly Expresses Surprise That He Is Being Challenged
By Roger M. Grace, editor
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candice henry deputy district attorney |
All but one of the 12 Los Angeles Superior Court open seats on the June 2 primary election ballot is being sought by at least one candidate, as of yesterday, with contenders including a deputy public defender who two years ago waged an apparent spite-challenge to a judge who had found her in contempt and a contender who, in 2011, received a public reproval from the State Bar for taking money from clients and not performing services.
The one seat for which no one had filed as of mid-afternoon yesterday is No. 196. However, Crystal Litz, a political consultant, said yesterday that her client Candice J. Henry, a deputy district attorney, “definitely” will file a declaration of intent to run for that office today.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Pat Connolly, who through his 17-year career on the bench has attracted controversy, yesterday reacted to the election challenge by Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Paul A. Thompson, saying:
“I am surprised by the challenge to my seat. But I am even more surprised by the sheer volume of support by all members of the legal community, colleagues, defense attorneys, prosecutors, and staff. I can only smile with the parade of people calling, texting, and coming by my chambers. It comforts my family and me to know that the over 30 years of service that I have given to the community is respected and appreciated. I intend to fight this challenge with everything I have and will be able to draw on vast resources to defend my seat and honor.
“As to Mr. Thompson appearing before me, he has on several occasions. I am not aware of any problems. He appeared in front of me as recently as last week, January 26.”
Connolly has received one private admonishment by the Commission on Judicial Performance and two public scoldings.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judges Robert S. Draper, who is under investigation by that commission in connection with possible discipline or a forced disability retirement, has drawn two challengers and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Walgren has one opponent. The period for challenging incumbents ended Wednesday, while the last day for filing for open seats is Monday.
Open Seats Sought
Filing declarations of intent to seek open seats late Wednesday were Los Angeles Deputy Public Defender Rhonda Haymon (Office No. 64), Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Angie Christides (Office Nos. 14 and 39), and private practitioner Cheryl C. Turner (Office No. 66).
A candidate may file a declaration of intent to run for multiple seats but may only file nominating papers for one office.
Submitting declarations yesterday were Los Angeles County Deputy Public Defender Anthony “A.J.” Bayne (Office No. 87), Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Maria Lisa Ghobadi (Office No. 64), Los Angeles Deputy City Attorney Sharee Sanders Gordon (Office No. 87), Northridge attorney Samuel Wolloch Krause (Office Nos. 65 and 141), Special Education Administrative Law Judge Thanayi Lindsey (Office No. 181), and Chief Assistant Glendale City Attorney Ann M. Maurer (Office No. 66)
Haymon’s Previous Campaign
Two years ago, Haymon ran against Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lynn Olson, who the year before had found her in contempt of court on two counts, imposing a fine. The attorney had continued to prattle after being told to stop talking, made insulting remarks, and continually alluded to irrelevant matter.
She told Olson:
“You want to hold me in contempt because you don’t like me.”
Olson was acting in the capacity of a magistrate at a preliminary hearing. Her action against Haymon was passed upon by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan who upheld the adjudication.
Div. Eight of this district’s Court of Appeal on Aug. 18, 2023 issued an order saying:
“We have read and considered the petition for writ of mandate filed on June 5, 2023.
“Petitioner has failed to demonstrate that she is entitled to extraordinary relief.
“Accordingly, the petition is denied.”
The California Supreme Court on Sept. 27, 2023, denied Haymon’s petition for review.
In her election bid, the challenger garnered a scant 36% of the vote in the March 5, 2024, primary.
Her law degree is from Willamette University in Oregon. She was admitted to practice in 2001.
Public Reproval
Lindsey is an administrative law judge with the Office of Administrative Hearings, a quasi-judicial tribunal, in its Los Angeles office. She hears special-education disputes.
In 2011, pursuant to stipulation, she received a public reproval from the State Bar in connection with three matters. In two of them, she had received fees from a client, did not do the agreed-upon work, failed to respond to queries by or on behalf of the client, and failed to respond to communications from a State Bar investigator.
In the third case, Lindsey delayed in providing an accounting to a client and in providing the client’s file.
Lindsey, who was admitted to the State Bar in 1997, has a law degree from the University of Florida.
16 Misconduct Counts
She is not the only candidate this year who has received State Bar discipline. Private practitioner Allan L. Dollison, one of two challengers to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert S. Draper, was suspended from law practice based on 16 admitted counts of misconduct.
While he acknowledged in an email that he was suspended for two months, he was actually ineligible to practice law for a longer period than that. Disciplinary charges were filed against him in one case on Aug. 31, 1999, and in another case on Sept. 28, 1999; he was placed on involuntary inactive status in connection with the first case on Oct. 25, and additionally placed on that status, based on the second case, on Nov. 15.
He regained active status on March 16, 2000, but received an actual suspension from Aug. 26, 2000 to Nov. 25 of that year. The period of ineligibility to practice law was eight months, not two.
The State Bar, in publicly reporting the discipline, mentioned that Dollison was under the care of a psychiatrist. The candidate has declined to respond to inquiries as to whether he remains under such care and, if not, when the treatments ended.
He has also spurned the question of the nature of his having been declared a “disabled” veteran.
Rundown of Filings
As of mid-afternoon yesterday, there were these filings for open seats:
Office No. 14: Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Angie Christides.
Office No. 39: Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Angie Christides, Los Angeles Deputy Public Defender Binh Q. Dang.
Office No. 60: Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Rosalba Luz Gutierrez.
Office No. 64: Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Maria Lisa Ghobadi, Los Angeles Deputy Public Defender Rhonda Haymon.
Office No. 65: Northridge attorney Samuel Wolloch Krause.
Office No. 66: Chief Assistant Glendale City Attorney Ann M. Maurer, private practitioner Cheryl C. Turner.
Office No. 87: Los Angeles Deputy Public Defender Anthony (A.J.) Bayne, Los Angeles Deputy City Attorney Sharee Sanders Gordon.
Office No. 131: Los Angeles Deputy Alternate Public Defender David Ross, Los Angeles Deputy Public Defender Donna Tryfman.
Office No. 141: Northridge attorney Samuel Wolloch Krause.
Office No. 176: Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Gloria Marin.
Office No. 181: Administrative Law Judge Thanayi Lindsey.
Office No. 196: —
The period for filing nominating papers starts Monday and ends March 6, with a five-day extension in running for seats held by a judge who filed a declaration of intent but did not perfect his or her candidacy.
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