Among the 50 states, California has a unique system for selecting Superior Court (or equivalent) judges. Usually when there\u2019s a vacancy, the governor appoints the new judge, who must face voter approval at the next election, then stand for reelection every six years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
An odd election this year in Orange County is for Office No. 13, for which there is no incumbent. That\u2019s because last September, Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson, 74, was sentenced<\/a> to state prison for 35 years to life for killing his wife, Sheryl Ferguson.\u00a0<\/p>\n Both candidates on the June 2 ballot are listed<\/a> as \u201cSenior Deputy District Attorney, County of Orange\u201d on their ballot designations. Ann Cho has served for 18 years, and Robert Mestman<\/a> for 20 years. Cho attended UC Berkeley for undergrad, and UC Hastings Law School, since renamed UC Law San Francisco. Mestman attended Northwestern for undergrad, an MBA and Law School. Although this is a nonpartisan office, both are registered Democrats.<\/p>\n A major question for prosecutors aiming for the other side of the bench is how they can maintain objectivity in cases. \u201cWe need to make sure constitutional rights and due process are followed, because there needs to be integrity in the system,\u201d Mestman told me. \u201cIf we don\u2019t have those protections in place, people will lose faith in the criminal justice system. And without people\u2019s faith, the whole system will fall apart.\u201d<\/p>\n Cho said, \u201cI\u2019m really committed to the rule of law, to being disciplined, to look objectively at all the facts and to take my role seriously.\u201d She said, as a prosecutor, she makes a decision to prosecute based on, \u201cCan I prove this beyond a reasonable doubt? Without being committed to the rule of law, you can\u2019t be consistent. Because you\u2019re using something else to make a decision that is going to have an incredible impact on so many different people.\u201d<\/p>\n Mestman\u2019s background primarily has been in criminal prosecutions. He prosecuted the 2016 case<\/a> of Christopher Joseph Lanzillo, convicted for illegal surveillance and reporting false crimes by two Costa Mesa council members, Jeff Righeimer and Stephen Mensinger, and attorney Robert Wexler. Lanzillo was working for a law firm retained by the Costa Mesa Police Officers\u2019 Association.<\/p>\n Cho has prosecuted major fraud cases, meaning more than $100,000. And earlier in her career it was sexual assault cases, which she said were \u201cserious, very sensitive cases,\u201d especially because in some instances it was difficult to obtain solid evidence for a conviction.<\/p>\n Law today is highly specialized. The presiding judge, currently Sheila F. Hanson<\/a>, decides the field over which a new judge presides.<\/p>\n On potential gaps in experience after appointment, Cho said she already has been talking with judges about their fields, such as family law. And in Oct. 2024, she attended the weeklong course for aspiring judges at the National Judicial College<\/a> in Reno, Nev. She took courses \u201con what it means to be a judge, dealing with the media, managing public pressure, judicial security and the effect that becoming a judge has on your family safety.\u201d<\/p>\n Mestman said, \u201cThere\u2019ll be a learning curve, but I\u2019m confident I can work hard, keep my head down, and learn new law, whatever the subject is.\u201d<\/p>\n