SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco Superior Court judges have elected Assistant Presiding Judge Christopher C. Hite to serve as the court’s next presiding judge, placing the former longtime public defender in charge of judicial assignments, court operations and administrative priorities beginning Jan. 1, according to a Sept. 16 press release from the San Francisco Superior Court.
Hite will begin a two-year term on Jan. 1, succeeding current Presiding Judge Rochelle C. East. As presiding judge, he will oversee judicial assignments, court operations and administrative priorities in partnership with Court Executive Officer Brandon E. Riley.
In a statement included in the release, Hite stated he intends to focus on ensuring the court remains accessible, transparent and responsive to the public, while also investing in the training and development of the court’s judges.
Current Presiding Judge East stated in the release that Hite has been a “true partner in leading this Court over the past two years.” East added that Hite brings a “deep understanding of court operations” and expressed confidence in his leadership during the transition.
According to the release, Hite has served as assistant presiding judge since January 2025, working on courtwide administrative matters while continuing to preside over trials. His current assignments include civil and criminal jury and bench trials, including both misdemeanor and felony cases.
Hite was appointed to the San Francisco Superior Court by former California Gov. Edmund G. Brown, Jr., in December 2015, joining the bench in January 2016. He has since served in a variety of divisions, including preliminary hearings, felony arraignments, felony pretrial settlements, the misdemeanor master calendar, felony jury trials and both civil and criminal trials.
From 2018 to 2019, Hite managed the court’s felony pretrial settlement calendar while also conducting misdemeanor and felony trials, during which he conducted hundreds of pretrial conferences and resolved a significant number of cases.
In 2022, Hite served as supervising judge of the Criminal Division, where he coordinated judicial assignments as the court addressed delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the California Legislative Analyst’s Office, a nonpartisan government agency providing fiscal and policy advice to the California Legislature, courts across California experienced disruptions to normal operations during the pandemic, which led to delays in case processing and required adjustments to court procedures.
The press release further states that Hite has also presided over all of the San Francisco Superior Court’s criminal collaborative courts, including the Community Justice Center, Drug Court, Young Adult Court, Intensive Supervision Court and Veterans Justice Court.
According to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, these collaborative courts “focus on addressing the underlying reasons why someone may have committed a crime to help that person get back on track.” They often provide programs aimed at treating health issues, mental illness and substance abuse, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office further notes.
According to the release, Hite has served on the court’s Appellate Division and as a pro tem justice on the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, handling civil and criminal matters. He has also participated in committees related to court administration, including local rules, court technology and pretrial detention.
Before joining the bench, Hite spent nearly 18 years as a San Francisco deputy public defender, where he handled misdemeanor and felony cases, including serious and violent offenses.
Hite also served as the first chair of the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office Racial Justice Committee and participated in a task force on criminal justice reform.
He earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from Santa Clara University and a master’s degree in psychology from Golden Gate University.
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