Commission on Judicial Appointments

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Confirmation Hearings Set Dec 20 for First, Fifth, and Sixth Appellate Districts

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The commission is comprised of three members:

California Chief Justice (Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye)
California Attorney General (Attorney General Kamala Harris)
Senior Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal of the affected district. When a Supreme Court appointee is being considered, the third member of the commission is the state's senior presiding justice of the Courts of Appeal

The Governor appoints candidates to the Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeal, however, the appointees must be confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments.

The commission convenes after the Governor nominates or appoints a person to fill a vacancy on either the Supreme Court or a Court of Appeal. The commission holds one or more public hearings to review the appointee's qualifications and may confirm or veto the appointment. No appellate appointment is final until the commission has filed its approval with the Secretary of State.

Guidelines for the Commission on Judicial Appointments (PDF, 22 KB)
(Adopted effective May 18, 1999; amended effective July 1, 2005, March 1, 2006, and November 19, 2007.)