Newsom Appoints Five Sacramento County Judges
Gov. Gavin Newsom filled five Sacramento County Superior Court seats in a batch of 23 judicial appointments announced statewide.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in People
Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed five judges to the Sacramento County Superior Court on Wednesday, all Democrats earning $244,727 a year. Four appointments fill vacancies left by three retirements and one elevation to the state Court of Appeal, and one is an interim appointment.
Why it matters
The appointments fill vacancies on a Sacramento County court and help set its bench for the coming years. The interim appointment lets an elected judge take the bench before his scheduled January 2027 term begins.
Newsom named five Sacramento County Superior Court judges out of 23 statewide appointments, each position paying $244,727 a year. Four seats open from three retirements and one elevation to the state Court of Appeal, while the fifth is an interim appointment.
The players
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom is the Governor of California, a Democrat who serves as the state's chief executive and holds the power to appoint judges to fill vacancies on superior courts.
Lauri Damrell
Lauri Damrell is a Sacramento County Superior Court judge whose elevation to the California Court of Appeal created one of the vacancies filled in this round of appointments.
The details
Newsom made the appointments Wednesday. The five Sacramento picks include three attorneys from his office and two commissioners already serving on the court. Michele Beckwith fills the vacancy left when Judge Lauri Damrell joined the Court of Appeal, Jasmine Turner-Bond succeeds retired Judge Donald J. Currier, Matthew Lee succeeds retired Judge Maryanne G. Gillard, and Alicia Hartley succeeds retired Judge Delbert Oros.
Timeline
Wednesday (November 4, 2026): Newsom announces the five Sacramento County appointments.
January 2027: Scheduled start of Heath Langle's elected term on the bench.
Judicial Appointments
Governors in California have long used their constitutional authority to fill superior court vacancies as judges retire or move up. These appointments follow that established pattern, filling seats left by retirements and an elevation to the state appeals court.
Residents of Sacramento County will see new judges presiding over their cases as these appointments take effect. The interim appointment means one seat is filled before Langle's scheduled January 2027 start.
The takeaway
Judicial appointments shape how courts operate for years, so the people filling these seats matter to everyday legal proceedings. Watching who fills vacancies in a county court offers a clear view of how state leadership influences the local justice system.
What happens next
Heath Langle's elected term on the Sacramento County bench is scheduled to begin in January 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on People to see who is shaping California's courts and government.
