The parade of Court of Appeal justices temporarily filling the vacancy created by Justice Kathryn Werdegar’s retirement, a parade which began in September 2017, will most probably end with the December calendar. Joshua Groban, Governor Jerry Brown’s choice to permanently replace Justice Werdegar, will likely be on the court in time for the January calendar.
The court today announced December’s pro tem justices. The pro tems are assigned on a mostly alphabetical basis after they have served on the Court of Appeal for more than one year. Listed along with the previous calendars on which they’ve sat since Justice Werdegar left the court at the end of August 2017, they are:
Cal Fire Local 2881 v. California Public Employees’ Retirement System: Second District, Division Four, Justice Thomas Willhite, Jr., who previously sat on the March calendar.
[December 3 Update: Second District, Division Seven, Justice Laurie Zelon is now the assigned pro tem for the Cal Fire case. She sat on the March calendar.]
Sweetwater Union School District v. Gilbane Building Company: Second District, Division Four, Presiding Justice Nora Manella. She sat on the December 2017 calendar.
People v. Amezcua and Flores: Fourth District, Division One, Justice Terry O’Rourke. He sat on the February calendar.
Goonewardene v. ADP, LLC: Fourth District, Division One, Justice Joan Irion, who sat on the September 2017 calendar.
In re J.G.: Fourth District, Division Two, Justice Art McKinster. This is his first time as a Supreme Court pro tem since Justice Werdegar’s retirement.
McClainv. Sav-On Drugs: Fourth District, Division Three, Presiding Justice Kathleen O’Leary. She sat on the January calendar.
