SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of five judges to the Sacramento County Superior Court on Nov. 5, filling judicial vacancies and bringing new legal experience to the county’s bench.
The five appointees are Michele Beckwith of Yolo County, Jasmine Turner-Bond of Placer County, Matthew Lee of Sacramento County, Alicia Hartley of Sacramento County and Heath Langle of Placer County.
According to the announcement, the appointments fill five existing judicial vacancies, with the new judges bringing experience in federal prosecution, state government, public defense, judicial administration and private legal practice.
Presiding Judge Lawrence G. Brown welcomed the appointments, emphasizing their importance to the court’s operations.
“We are grateful to Governor Newsom for his appointment of these judicial officers to the Sacramento County bench,” Brown said.
Brown added that the court looked forward to the contributions the new judges would make to the judicial system and the Sacramento community.
Beckwith was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the departure of Judge Lauri Damrell. She has served as deputy legal affairs secretary in Newsom’s office since 2025.
Before joining the governor’s office, Beckwith held several senior positions in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including first assistant U.S. attorney from 2022 to 2025, criminal division chief from 2019 to 2022 and executive assistant U.S. attorney from 2016 to 2019.
She previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney from 2010 to 2016.
Beckwith also worked as a law clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2008 to 2010 and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California from 2006 to 2008.
She earned her law degree from Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law.
Turner-Bond was appointed to fill the vacancy created by Judge Donald J. Currier. She has served as deputy legal affairs secretary in Newsom’s office since 2019, following service in the same position under former Gov. Jerry Brown from 2018 to 2019.
Before joining the governor’s office, Turner-Bond worked as a hearing officer and staff attorney at the California Victim Compensation Board from 2014 to 2018.
She earned her law degree from the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law.
Lee was appointed to fill the vacancy created by Judge Maryanne G. Gillard. He has served as deputy legal affairs secretary in Newsom’s office since 2024, a position he previously held from 2019 to 2021.
Between those appointments, Lee served as general counsel for the California Department of Cannabis Control from 2021 to 2024.
His earlier legal experience includes service as a deputy city attorney in the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office and judicial clerkships in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Lee earned his law degree from Yale Law School.
Hartley joins the bench after serving as a commissioner at Sacramento County Superior Court since 2022.
Before becoming a court commissioner, Hartley spent 18 years as an assistant public defender in the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office, serving from 2004 to 2022.
Her appointment brings extensive criminal defense experience to the bench, including nearly two decades representing people accused of crimes.
Hartley earned her law degree from the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law.
Langle received an interim judicial appointment that allows him to assume office before the beginning of the term to which he was elected, scheduled for January 2027.
His appointment fills the vacancy created by Judge James McFetridge.
Langle has served as a commissioner at Sacramento County Superior Court since 2023. His earlier legal career included positions as an attorney and associate at several law firms.
He also operated the Law Office of Heath T. Langle from 2006 to 2008.
The appointments bring five attorneys with different professional backgrounds to Sacramento County Superior Court, including three who recently served in the governor’s legal affairs office and two who previously served as commissioners on the court.
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