While it may not be the US Supreme Court, elections for the Supreme Court of California are still important. California’s Supreme Court Justices see appeals from inferior state courts, such as the district courts, although they themselves hold no new trials. They refer to inferior courts for cases, establish a precedent for the future, and overrule the verdicts of inferior courts. The state supreme court is non-partisan, and you don’t have to worry about selecting one candidate over another. Four justices, one chief justice, and three associate justices are on your ballot. If you think they should continue serving, check them! If not, check no. Justices who receive the majority of voters’ favor stay for another term. If not, then they are replaced with another justice, who will be appointed by the state Governor-Gavin Newsom, in California. Here are your four California Supreme court justice candidates. 

Chief Justice: Patricia Guerrero

Guerrero is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford Law School. She hails from Mexican immigrant parents and was the valedictorian of her high school, Imperial County High School. Guerrero worked as a federal prosecutor before Gavin Newson placed her on the San Diego Superior Court (A local!) In her career as an appellate judge, Guerrero has not addressed any particularly controversial cases yet, but she has proven herself to be an unbiased justice. Some of her notable opinions include her ruling that Amazon should be held responsible for product malfunctions, and that citizens could not be barred from filing lawsuits against government entities because of technicalities they didn’t understand. She tends to stick closely to verbatim in her interpretations of the law and rule with the majority, meaning that she aligns with the general court consensus and she doesn’t dissent or stick out with a controversial opinion.

Verdict: Check! Guerrero protects the rights of every Californian citizen with her strict adherence to our state constitution and rules in favor of consumers as opposed to large corporations.

Associate Justices: 

Joshua P. Groban

Groban is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School. Groban is also a San Diego native. He’s been an active part of mentoring programs for students in college and law school, as well as having been a lecturer on State Appellate Practice at UCLA School of Law. His position as Associate Justice is his first time serving as a judge. He was appointed as a justice in 2018 and has held the position since 2019. Although he is relatively new to being on this side of the bench, Groban has worked all across the country with law, from being a law clerk in New York City to being an advisor for California governor Jerry Brown’s 2010 election campaign. 

Verdict: This one is up to you. While nothing about Groban is a particular turn-off, and he has law experience, his lack of time on the bench doesn’t offer solid enough insight into his stances, bias, or tact as a justice. He has served without ruling on notable issues since 2019, as mentioned before, so no endorsement but no aversion here.

Martin L. Jenkins

Jenkins is a graduate of Santa Clara University and University of San Francisco (USF) School of Law. He served as a prosecutor for Alameda County and spent several years working with the United States Department of Justice. While working in Washington D.C., Jenkins was a member of the Civil Rights Division-Criminal Section. He is the recipient of the 2009 Child Advocacy Award and The Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters Honoris Causa, awarded to individuals who have spent a lifetime excelling in humanist contributions to society. He’s served on the California state court of appeals since 2008 and was appointed to the California State Supreme Court in 2020.

Verdict: Check! Jenkins’ numerous awards and wide range of experience are a testament to his character and qualifications as a justice. He will undoubtedly continue these efforts through another term. 

Goodwin Liu

Liu is a graduate of Stanford University and Yale Law School. He’s clerked for Ruth Bader Ginsburg and was nominated for the US Circuit Court of Appeals, the 9th district, although his nomination was withdrawn by Barack Obama, who had nominated him following a Republican filibuster. He specializes in constitutional law and educational law, particularly policies  which regulate student rights, curriculum, special education, and more for California students. Liu was nominated to the California Supreme Court by Jerry Brown in 2011 and has held the position ever since, winning one re-election thus far. Liu is also a member of numerous legal organizations, such as the National Women’s Law Center, the California Commission on Access to Justice, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Liu stands by his beliefs, and notably testified against the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court in 2006. 

Verdict: Check! Liu has a full range of experiences with law going back years and is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in. His expertise with constitutional law and previous term as an associate justice indicate he will continue to serve us well in the future.