Governor Newsom announces judicial appointments 2.2.2026

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom announced his appointment of ten Superior Court Judges: two in Alameda County, one in Fresno County, one in Lake County, one in Los Angeles County, one in Orange County, two in San Francisco County, one in San Mateo County, and one in Shasta County.

Alameda Superior Court

Novella Coleman, of Santa Clara County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Alameda County Superior Court. Coleman has worked as an Assistant Chief Counsel at the California Civil Rights Department since 2023. She was the Litigation Director at the Bay Area Legal Aid from 2020 to 2023. Coleman worked as a Staff Attorney at PolicyLink in 2019 and at the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California from 2013 to 2019. She worked as a Civil Rights Fellow at Equal Justice Society from 2012 to 2013. Coleman received a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Jo-Lynne Q. Lee. Coleman is a Democrat.  

Kathleen Vermazen Radez, of Alameda County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Alameda County Superior Court. Radez has served as a Deputy City Attorney at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office since 2024. She served as a Supervising Chambers Attorney at the California Supreme Court from 2018 to 2024. Radez worked as an Adjunct Professor at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco from 2022 to 2024. She served several roles at the California Department of Justice including as a Deputy Attorney General from 2016 to 2018 and an Associate Deputy Solicitor General from 2014 to 2016. Radez served as a Law Clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California from 2013 to 2014. She also served as a Law Clerk at the California Supreme Court from 2012 to 2013. Radez worked as an Associate at Morrison & Foerster from 2011 to 2012. Radez received a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Julia A. Spain. Radez is a Democrat.

Fresno Superior Court

David Chiappetta, of Fresno County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Fresno County Superior Court. Chiappetta has worked as a Partner at Perkins Coie since 2013 and from 2007 to 2009. He worked as Special Counsel at Corrs Chambers Westgarth from 2009 to 2013. Chiappetta held several positions at McCutchen Doyle Brown Enersen including Partner from 2003 to 2007, Counsel from 2001 to 2003, and Associate from 1999 to 2001. He worked as an Associate at Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek from 1994 to 1999. Chiappetta received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Washington School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Arlan L. Harrell to the Court of Appeal. Chiappetta is a Democrat.

Lake Superior Court

John Langan, of Lake County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Lake County Superior Court. Langan has served as a Commissioner at the Lake County Superior Court since 2019. He served in several roles at the Lake County District Attorney’s Office including as the Senior Deputy District Attorney from 2004 to 2019 and as a Deputy District Attorney from 2001 to 2004. Langan served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Sonoma County Public Defender’s Office from 1999 to 2001. Langan received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Andrew S. Blum. Langan is a Democrat. 

Los Angeles Superior Court

Alma D. Puente, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Puente has been the owner of the Law Office of Alma D. Puente since 2010. She worked as Senior Attorney at the Law Office of Enrique Arevalo from 2006 to 2010. Puente worked as an Associate at Kaplan, Klein & Rogen from 2005 to 2006. She served as a Supervisory Adjudications Officer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from 2004 to 2005. Puente received a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John J. Kralik. Puente is a Democrat. 

Orange Superior Court

Allison Chan, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in  the Orange County Superior Court. Chan has served as the Senior Deputy Public Defender at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office since 2025, where she also served as a Deputy Public Defender from 2013 to 2024. Chan received a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Erick L. Larsh. Chan is a Democrat. 

San Francisco Superior Court

Christopher Hu, of San Francisco County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Francisco County Superior Court. Hu has served as a Deputy Solicitor General at the California Department of Justice since 2023. He worked as an Associate at several firms, including Horvitz & Levy from 2019 to 2023, Moskovitz Appellate Team from 2018 to 2019, and at Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld from 2015 to 2018. He served as a Law Clerk at the California Supreme Court from 2014 to 2015 and at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2013 to 2014. Hu received his Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the death of Judge Andrew Y.S. Cheng. Hu is a Democrat.  

Dane Reinstedt, of Contra Costa County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Francisco County Superior Court. Reinstedt has served as an Assistant District Attorney at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office since 2015. He worked as an Associate at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan from 2010 to 2014. Reinstedt received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Garrett L. Wong. Reinstedt is a Democrat. 

San Mateo Superior Court

Jennifer M. Frost, of San Mateo County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Mateo County Superior Court. Frost has served as a Commissioner at the San Mateo County Superior Court since 2024. She served as a Deputy District Attorney at the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office from 2020 to 2024. Frost served as an Assistant District Attorney at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office from 2018 to 2020 and from 2009 to 2016. She worked as an Associate at Hanson, Crawford, Crum Family Law Group from 2016 to 2018. Frost served as a Deputy District Attorney at the San Diego District Attorney’s Office in 2009. Frost received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Virgil R. Swope. Frost is a Democrat.

Shasta Superior Court

Ryan Birss, of Siskiyou County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge at the Shasta County Superior Court. Birss has been the Owner of Ryan H. Birss, Attorney at Law since 2018. He worked as an Associate from 2014 to 2018 at Eric Alan Berg and Associates. Birss received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California School of Law, San Francisco. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Monique D. McKee. Birss is a Democrat.

The compensation for each of these positions is $244,727.