By Vanguard Staff
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom has announced the appointment of 12 new Superior Court judges across California, expanding the state’s bench in counties ranging from Fresno to San Francisco. Among the appointees is Wendy R. Casas of Yolo County, who has been selected to serve on the Solano County Superior Court.
Casas has been a solo practitioner at the Law Office of Wendy Casas since 2018, focusing on criminal defense and civil matters. Before establishing her practice, she spent more than a decade as a public defender, first in Kern County from 2005 to 2007, and later in Solano County, where she served from 2007 to 2018. Her experience representing vulnerable populations in the public defense system has earned her a reputation for diligence and compassion.
Casas received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis, School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Christine A. Carringer. According to the Governor’s Office, Casas is registered as a Democrat.
The announcement marks another step in Newsom’s ongoing effort to diversify California’s judiciary, both in terms of professional background and geographic representation. The governor’s latest round of appointments includes individuals from public defense, prosecution, academia, and private practice.
In addition to Casas, Newsom appointed Steven Crass to the Fresno County Superior Court. Crass has served as a Commissioner at the Fresno County Superior Court since 2023 and previously worked as Of Counsel at Wanger Jones Helsley and as a Partner at Baker Manock & Jensen. He also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California and as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy.
In Los Angeles County, Newsom named three new judges: Jill Casselman, Seza Mikikian, and Afsaneh Ashley Tabaddor. Casselman has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California since 2019. Mikikian has worked at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office since 2007, where she began as a law clerk. Tabaddor, who previously served as Chief Counsel at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and as an Immigration Judge for 16 years, currently teaches at Southwestern Law School.
Charlotte Scott was appointed to the Mendocino County Superior Court, where she has served as County Counsel since 2024. Scott previously worked as Assistant County Counsel and Deputy County Counsel in Mendocino and Lake Counties.
In Orange County, Carmen Snuggs-Spraggins was named to the bench. She has served as a Commissioner at the Orange County Superior Court since 2024 and previously worked as a Senior Administrative Law Judge at the Office of Administrative Hearings and as a Deputy Attorney General with the California Department of Justice.
Newsom also appointed two judges to the Riverside County Superior Court. Jonathan Mendoza, a former Riverside County Public Defender and owner of Empire Law, brings extensive criminal defense experience. Gareit Newstrom, who has served as a Commissioner at the Riverside Superior Court since 2022, previously ran her own practice and worked as a senior associate at Hess Verdon and Associates.
In the Bay Area, Lianne Dumas was appointed to the San Francisco County Superior Court. Dumas has served as a Deputy City Attorney for the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office since 2019 and formerly operated her own legal aid practice. Vivian Wang was appointed to the San Mateo County Superior Court after serving as a Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of California.
Finally, in Tulare County, Roger Wilson was appointed to the Superior Court. Wilson has been a solo practitioner since 2012 and serves as counsel at Rains Lucia Stern St. Phalle & Silver. He previously worked as a prosecutor in both Fresno and Tulare Counties.
Each of the 12 judges will earn an annual salary of $244,727.
Governor Newsom’s judicial appointments continue to reflect an emphasis on professional diversity, with selections spanning public service, defense, and academia. Casas’s appointment in particular underscores the growing recognition of public defenders and community-based practitioners within California’s judiciary.
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