California Courts Newsroom
June 28, 2017
Blaine Corren
415-865-7740
Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye has appointed three new voting members and four new advisory (non-voting) members to the Judicial Council. She also reappointed an advisory member to a new one-year term.
“The council is responsible for ensuring our courts are fair and accessible to the public we serve,” said the Chief Justice. “Our court system faces many challenges, but our new members have the talent and experience to help us address them. While I’m excited to work with our new members, I also want to acknowledge the incredibly valuable service of our outgoing members and thank them for volunteering their time and energy for the benefit of the judicial branch.”
Following are the Chief Justice’s newest appointments, effective September 15:
- Presiding Judge C. Todd Bottke, Superior Court of Tehama County, will be appointed to a voting position through September 14, 2019, succeeding Judge Dean T. Stout. In addition to leading his court, Presiding Judge Bottke handles three felony calendars and supervises the Adult Felon Drug Court, Behavioral Health Court, and Family Law Settlement Conference calendars.
- Judge Harold W. Hopp, Superior Court of Riverside County, will be appointed to a voting position through September 14, 2020, succeeding Judge Brian John Back. Prior to his appointment to the bench in 2005, Judge Hopp was an associate practicing civil and business litigation. Judge Hopp has served on many council advisory committees, including the Civil Jury Instructions and the Civil and Small Claims advisory committees.
- Attorney Gretchen Maria Nelson will be appointed to a voting position through September 14, 2020. Ms. Nelson was selected by the State Bar Board of Trustees to succeed Ms. Donna D. Angelo Melby. Ms. Nelson is a trial lawyer practicing in the area of complex class action, derivative actions, intellectual property, and business matters.
- Presiding Judge Patricia M. Lucas, Superior Court of Santa Clara County, will be appointed to an advisory position through September 14, 2018, succeeding Presiding Judge Jeffrey B. Barton. Presiding Judge Lucas will also be appointed as the incoming chair to the council’s Trial Court Presiding Judges Advisory Committee.
- Judge Stuart M. Rice, Superior Court of Los Angeles County, will be appointed to an advisory position through September 14, 2018, succeeding Judge C. Todd Bottke, who has been elevated to a voting position on the council. Judge Rice was recently elected as the 86th president of the California Judges Association, serving a one-year term beginning October 8, 2017.
- Andrea K. Rohmann, Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, will be appointed to an advisory position through September 14, 2020. Prior to serving as the clerk/administrator for the court, Ms. Rohmann was employed in the Executive Branch for 26 years, specializing in general government administration.
- Michael M. Roddy, Superior Court of San Diego County, will be appointed to an advisory position through September 14, 2020, succeeding Mr. Richard D. Feldstein. Mr. Roddy serves as court executive officer in San Diego and has more than 36 years of experience in court administration. He previously served as an advisory member of the Judicial Council (2006-2011).
- Presiding Judge Daniel J. Buckley, Superior Court of Los Angeles County, will be reappointed to an advisory position through September 14, 2018. Presiding Judge Buckley has more than 14 years of experience as a judge with assignments in criminal, civil, and probate cases.
According to the state Constitution, the Chief Justice chairs the Judicial Council and appoints one other Supreme Court justice, three justices from the courts of appeal, 10 trial court judges, two nonvoting court administrators, “and any other nonvoting members as determined by the voting membership of the council.” The State Bar’s governing body appoints four members, and the state Senate and Assembly each appoint one member.
Council members are volunteers and do not receive additional compensation for their service. Most members serve three-year terms, and each year about a third of the membership rotates off and a new group is sworn in.
