How I'm Voting Nov. 2nd -- CALIF Judges for Supreme Court & L.A. Superior

Wondering why you should bother voting on the judges?  Here's why:

In California, we have the unique ability to remove Supreme Court Justices during the Gubernatorial Election years. By voting no, the Justice is removed and a new one is nominated by the Governor. The Nominee is then confirmed by The Commission on Judicial Appointments. The commission has three members: the Chief Justice, the Attorney General, and the state's senior presiding justice of the Courts of Appeal.

While we may not get any better replacement in the short run, it is an opportunity to show our disapproval of nominee and the way that the Judiciary is being used to either make up law from the bench or kill laws that were voted on by the people. Source: Government For the People

Of course, it's a gamble who will be the next govenor and what sorts of judges he/she might appoint, but in some cases it's better to take the chance by ousting the current judicial occupant.  We can "send a message" by voting NO to certain very liberal judges.


So, in the order that these judges appear on my "Official Sample Voter Guide," here's how I'm voting:

Judicial - Supreme Court Justice California Supreme Court
YES on Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye
YES on Ming W. Chin
NO on Carlos R. Moreno  **  (see WHY below)

California Appellate Court 2nd District:
Presiding Justice Division 1:    Neutral on Robert M. Mallano  Info on Mallano here 

            Mallano is a Gov. Davis appointee, UC Berkeley grad.  Career judge.  Probably liberal leaning.

             UPDATE:  THANKS TO ADDITIONAL INPUT (see comment below), VOTE NO!!

Associate Justice Division 1:   YES on Victoria G. Chaney
Associate Justice Division 1:   NO on Jeffrey W. Johnson

Associate Justice Division 2:   NO on Judith M. Ashmann

Associate Justice Division 3:   NO on Walter Croskey  Here's info on Judge Croskey

Judge Croskey was one of three judge panel to rule that the homeschooling in CA was unconstitutional in 2008. The state appellate court later reversed that ruling in 2009.           Note: Gov't for the People is Neutral on Croskey - I'm not.

Associate Justice Division 4:   YES on Steven Suzukawa

Associate Justice Division 5:   YES on Orville "Jack" Armstrong

Associate Justice Division 6:   YES on Paul H. Coffee
Associate Justice Division 6:   NO on Steven Z. Perren

Associate Justice Division 7:   NO on Laurie D. Zelon
Associate Justice Division 7:   YES on Frank Y. Jackson

Presiding Justice Division 8:    YES on Tricia A. Bigelow
Associate Justice Division 8:   YES on Elizabeth Annette Grimes


L. A. County Superior Court
Office No. 28:   Vote for Mark Ameli (Qualified)

Office No. 117: Vote for Alan Schneider (Well Qualified)
Office No. 136:   Amy D. Hogue is an unknown.

She's a Davis Appointee; Here's her notable ruling; and Info about the write-in candidate opposing Hogue  I'll probably vote YES.

**  Why we should vote NO to Justice Moreno.  This is from Government for the People's website:
Justice Carlos Moreno is a classic “liberal activist” appointed by Bill Clinton to the Federal Court in 1998 and to the California Supreme Court by Gray Davis.  

"The most recent battle over Proposition 8 and Marriage shows that [Moreno] will be as radical in his activism....Moreno and crew determined that the law was not retroactive even though it was law of the land at the time and the constitutional amendment was clear that no other marriage other than between a man and a woman was valid or recognized in California. The lawsuit to overturn the will of the voters only had one activist ready to oppose the new constitutional amendment, Moreno. The law, the people, and the constitution are just barriers to Moreno’s judicial activism. Moreno is a barrier to a Constitutional Republic and must be removed."

Moreno was also considered for appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court.  If voters oust Moreno from the California Supreme Court, we will seriously cripple his chances of any future Supreme Court consideration.