Judicial Races
Voters rarely know what to do when they encounter judicial races on their ballot, which is why most of the judges we elect are former prosecutors or former corporate lawyers. As a result, justice is meted out by individuals who come to the bench with a set of prejudices that favor the powerful over the powerless. That’s why ADA is again supporting three public defenders running on the Defenders of justice slate.
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ADA SoCal Endorses Kelli M. Evans for State Supreme Court Justice Kelli M. Evans serves as an Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court. Before joining the Supreme Court, Justice Evans served as a Judge in the Alameda County Superior Court, presiding over both criminal and civil matters. Prior to her appointment to the Alameda County bench, Justice Evans served as Chief Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary in the Office of Governor Newsom, where she advised the Governor and executive agencies on a variety of legal, policy, and legislative issues. Justice Evans previously served as Special Assistant to the Attorney General at the California Department of Justice with a focus in criminal justice, public safety, and civil rights law and policy. Justice Evans has had a career of public service. Before joining the California Department of Justice, she served as Senior Director for the Administration of Justice at the California State Bar. Prior to joining the State Bar, she was Associate Director of the ACLU of Northern California and served as a Senior Trial Attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and as an Assistant Public Defender at the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office. Justice Evans also has served as a member of federal court-appointed monitoring teams for the Oakland and Cleveland Police Departments. Justice Evans has sat on the governing boards of a number of non-profit organizations and currently serves on the California Commission on Access to Justice. She has received numerous awards and recognition including the King Hall Distinguished Alumna Award, the Stanford Trailblazer Award, Judge of the Year Award, Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service, State Bar President’s Award, and a Medal of Achievement from the Washington Metropolitan Police Department. Justice Evans received her undergraduate degree from Stanford University and her law degree from the University of California at Davis, where she was the recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Public Service. Learn more click here. Vote for Kelli Evans for California State Supreme Court Justice on November 3rd, 2026 |
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ADA SoCal Endorses Joshua Groban for State Supreme Court Justice Groban began serving on the California Supreme Court in January 2019. Previously he was the Senior Advisor to Governor Jerry Brown and advised the governor on judicial appointments, legal policy and legislative issues. Justice Groban advised the governor on the appointment of over 600 judges, or roughly one out of every three judges in the state. He received numerous awards from bar groups and other legal organizations for his work on judicial appointments. He also served on a local school board, participated in mentor programs for college and law students, and frequently lectured on judicial appointments. Justice Groban has also taught State Appellate Practice at the UCLA School of Law. Justice Groban had previously been in private practice, where he specialized in complex civil litigation, with a focus on antitrust, internal investigations, and intellectual property. Justice Groban grew up in San Diego, where he attended public schools. He received his bachelor’s degree with honors and distinction from Stanford University. He received his J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he graduated cum laude. Following graduation, he clerked for the Honorable William C. Conner in the Southern District of New York.
Learn more click here.
Vote forJoshua Groban for State Supreme Court Justice on November 3rd, 2026. |
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ADA SoCal Endorses Rhonda Haymon for Judicial Seat 64.
For more than 26 years, Rhonda Haymon has dedicated her career to public service as a Criminal Defense Attorney. She began her work at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office in 2001 and continued at the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office in 2004, where she has represented individuals who did not have a voice, who were unfairly charged, and who sought fair and just resolutions under the law.
She has defended adults and juveniles in cases ranging from petty theft to homicide, and nearly every type of criminal case in between. Her unwavering commitment to enforcing both the spirit and the letter of the law earned her a reputation for winning cases — and the nickname “Ms. Acquittal.” When the law was not properly followed, she fought diligently and successfully secured reversals in the Appellate Court. Rhonda is a member in good standing with the State Bar of California. The State Bar of California has never taken any disciplinary action against her. Vote for Rhonda Haymon for Judicial Seat 64 on November 3rd, 2026
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ADA SoCal Endorses Anna Slotkey Reytano for Judicial Seat 65. I didn’t take a traditional path to the courtroom. As a young adult, I worked as an actor—an experience that ultimately became my path to college and law school. It taught me resilience, confidence, and how to connect with people from all walks of life. I began my legal career working alongside prosecutors, then moved into criminal defense, where I spent over a decade as a Los Angeles County Public Defender. I handled everything from juvenile cases to serious felony trials, standing beside people at the most difficult moments of their lives. Today, I serve as a Deputy County Counsel in the Justice and Safety Division, working on complex legal issues that shape policy and public safety in Los Angeles County. I ran for judge in 2022 while pregnant. Now, I’m running again as a mother—because I know firsthand that the decisions judges make affect families, futures, and entire communities. Learn more click here. Vote for Anna Slotkey Reytano for Judical Seat 65 on November 3rd, 2026
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ADA SoCal Endorses David Dejute for Judicial Seat 87. David DeJute is running for Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge to ensure our courts reflect those same values, where every person is heard, every case is judged on its merits, and every ruling is grounded in reason and respect. David graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Notre Dame. At Harvard Law School, he graduated cum laude and served as an officer of the Legal Aid Bureau, the nation’s oldest student-run pro bono clinic, providing free legal aid to those in need. He went on to clerk for U.S. District Judge William J. Rea, a Reagan appointee known for his independence and fairness, who taught David to “call balls and strikes as you see them”. Over more than three decades in law, David has represented clients in the public and private sectors with distinction. As an Assistant United States Attorney, he represented the FBI, NASA, and even the President of the United States at the time, Barack Obama. As Vice President of Litigation at Sony Pictures, he managed complex cases and developed a deep understanding of an industry central to Los Angeles’ economy. Today, he practices at Michelman Robinson, a nationally respected firm, where he continues to advocate for fairness and mentor younger attorneys. David also teaches at Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law, where he serves as Director of the Disaster Relief Clinic, providing free legal aid to individuals harmed by floods and the Eaton and Palisade fires. For DeJute, justice is not about winning. It is about ensuring that everyone who walks into a courtroom feels that they were treated with dignity and respect, even if the outcome was not what they had hoped for. As he often says, true justice is when both sides believe they were heard and the process was fair. Vote for David Dejute for Judicial Seat 87 on November 3rd,2026 for more info click here
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ADA SoCal Endorses David Ross for Judicial Seat 131. After a lifetime of public service, I’m honored to announce my campaign for Superior Court Judge in Los Angeles County. For 30 years, I have served as a Deputy Public Defender in Riverside County and a Deputy Alternate Public Defender in Los Angeles County, standing beside people from all walks of life, and working daily to ensure fairness in our courts. Earlier, I spent 10 years as a television news reporter and documentary producer in Washington, D.C., Tennessee and Kansas, committed to listening carefully, getting the facts right, and explaining complex issues clearly. I also had the privilege of serving as a legislative aide for the top ranking democratic congressman from Indiana, Floyd J. Fithan, in the U.S. House of Representatives on Capitol Hill, learning how laws are made and public institutions can best serve the people. I have made public service the through-line of my career because I believe in a justice system that is grounded in respect for everyone who comes before the court. I will be a fair, independent and unbiased judge who listens to all sides. Learn more click here. Vote for David Ross for Judicial Seat 131 on November 3rd,2026 |
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ADA SoCal Endorses Donna Tryfman for Judicial Seat 131 Donna Tryfman is a veteran trial attorney with more than three decades of experience in California courtrooms and a career devoted to fairness, integrity, and the careful application of the law. Donna earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and American Literature and Legal Studies from Brandeis University in 1989 before receiving her law degree from the University of La Verne School of Law in 1994. Early in her career, she worked at the Law Offices of Mark J. Werksman, where she built a DMV practice from the ground up, representing clients in criminal courts and in administrative hearings before the Department of Motor Vehicles. In 1998, Donna joined the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office to pursue her passion for courtroom advocacy and public service. Since then, she has spent her career in demanding trial assignments across the county, including LAX, Metro, Huntington Park, Inglewood, Van Nuys, Sylmar, Eastlake, and the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center. Today, Donna serves in the Major Cases Unit, where she handles the most complex criminal defense matters. She has tried more than one hundred jury trials involving serious and violent felonies and currently focuses exclusively on homicide capital litigation. Her deep trial experience gives her a clear understanding of the gravity of judicial decisions and the life-changing impact those rulings have on victims, families, and communities. From 2015 through 2020, Donna served as President of the Public Defenders Association, leading statewide efforts to strengthen the profession and improve the delivery of justice. In recognition of her extraordinary work, she was honored in 2025 with the Gideon Award as Felony Attorney of the Year. From 2016 through 2019, Donna served as Deputy in Charge at the Eastlake Juvenile Court, supervising approximately twenty-five attorneys and mentoring young lawyers beginning their careers in public service. During that time, she also staffed a collaborative drug court, working with prosecutors, treatment providers, and judges to help individuals struggling with addiction get back on track while maintaining accountability. Donna has also served the courts as a Judge Pro Temp, presiding over traffic, small claims, and unlawful detainer matters. Beyond the courtroom, she is the current Vice Chair of the Los Angeles County Bar Association California Conference of Bar Associations, where she helps develop legislative proposals that advance to the State Legislature. Her commitment to civic service extends throughout the community. Donna has volunteered as a teen court proctor at Dorsey High School and Hamilton High School, served on the Los Angeles County Bar Association Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee, and acted as Commissioner and Chair of the Rent Stabilization Committee for the City of Beverly Hills. She also chaired the Beverly Hills Unified School District Facilities Committee and served on the Criminal Justice Section board of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Vote for Donna Tryfman for Judicial Seat 131 on November 3rd, 2026 for more info click here |
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