Commission on Judicial Appointments to Consider Four Appellate Court Nominations

SAN FRANCISCO – The Judicial Appointments Commission will hold public hearings in the Supreme Court Room – 350 McAllister Street, San Francisco – on Aug. 30 from 10 a.m. to consider the following nominations from Governor Gavin Newsom:

• Judge Alison M. Tucher, as presiding judge of the Appellate Court, First Appellate District, Division 3 (San Francisco)
• Judge Teri L. Jackson, serving as presiding judge, First Appellate District, Division 5, San Francisco Court of Appeals
• Judge Cynthia C. Lie, as Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District (San Jose)
• Judge Charles E. Wilson II, as Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District (San Jose)

The members of the commission are:

• Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye (Chair)
• Attorney General Rob Bonta
• Presiding Judge J. Anthony Kline K (for representatives of the first appointment district) or
• Presiding Judge Mary J. Greenwood (for representatives of the 6th appointment district)

The hearings will be broadcast live on the internet California Courts Newsroom.

The state constitution states that an appointment or appointment to the Supreme Court or Court of Appeal as governor is “effective if approved by the Judicial Appointments Commission”.

The commission consists of the Chief Justice of California, the Attorney General of California and the chairman of the appeals court of the district concerned or, if there are two or more chairmen, whoever has presided the longest, or for appointment or appointment to the Supreme Court, the Chairman who has presided over an appeals court for the longest time.

Appointed person’s biographies

Justice Alison M. Tucher would fill the post created by Judge Peter J. Siggins’ retirement. She has been Associate Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Four, since 2018. Judge Tucher was a judge at the Alameda County Superior Court from 2014 to 2018. From 2004 to 2014 she was a partner at Morrison and Foerster and a litigation associate there from 1998 to 2003. She was the assistant district attorney in the Santa District Attorney’s Office from 1995 to 1998 Clara County and Assistant Director of the White House Security Review Team of the US Treasury Department from 1994-1995, serving as trainee lawyer for US Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter and Judge William A. Norris of the US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School and a Masters of Arts in engineering from the University of Cambridge.

Justice Teri L. Jackson would fill the post created by the retirement of the judiciary Barbara JR Jones. Since 2019 she has been Associate Justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Three. Justice Jackson served as Judge in the San Francisco County Superior Court from 2002 to 2019. She was Counsel with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP from 1997 to 2019, and was Assistant District Attorney in the San Francisco District Attorney from 1984 to 1997. From 1981 to 1984 she was the assistant district attorney in the San Mateo District Attorney’s Office. Justice Jackson was Associate Professor at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law from 2006 to 2019 and the University of San Francisco School of Law from 2004 to 2019. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

Judge Cynthia C. Lie would fill the post created by Judge Nathan D. Mihara’s retirement. She has served as a judge in the Santa Clara County Superior Court since 2015. Judge Lie served as Assistant Attorney General in the San Jose Branch of the Office of the Federal Public Defender, Northern District of California from 2003 to 2003, and from 2002 to 2003 Associate Attorney with the Office of Citizen Complaints for the City and County of San Francisco, and from 2001 until 2003 individual practitioner. Judge Lie was a litigator with Sheppard, Mullin, Richter and Hampton LLP in 2000, serving as an associate. From 1995 to 2000, she was a public defender in the San Diego County’s Public Defender’s Office. She earned a doctorate in law from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

Judge Charles E. Wilson II would fill the post created by Judge Eugene M. Premo’s retirement. He has served as a Superior Court Justice of Santa Clara County since 2014. Judge Wilson served as the assistant district attorney in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office from 2007 to 2014. He was an associate with Gordon and Rees LLP from 2003 to 2007 and with Phillips, Spallas and Angstadt in 2003. Richter received his Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of San Francisco.

Testimony and Commentary

Anyone wishing to testify or comment on the appointment must submit their information to the Commission for approval by 5 p.m. on 23 August at the latest. Anyone wishing to testify before the Commission must do so in writing, stating the facts on which each testimony or opinion is based.

Submissions are accepted by email to [email protected]. Printouts are not required.

If you need to send your request, please do so to:

Judicial Appointments Commission c / o Chief Justice of California Supreme Court of California 350 McAllister Street San Francisco, California 94102 ATTENTION: Secretary to the Commission

Guidelines for the Court Appointments Commission are appended to the California Rules of Court and posted on the California Courts website.