Newsom nominates first Latina to California Supreme Court

Latinos across California are celebrating after Gov. Gavin Newsom nominated the first Latina to serve on the Golden State’s Supreme Court.

Newsom announced his nomination of Fourth District Court of Appeal Justice Patricia Guerrero on Tuesday, referring to the 50-year-old Mexican-American lawyer a “keen legal mind and well-regarded jurist.”

“Born and raised in the Imperial Valley by immigrant parents from Mexico, her extraordinary journey and nomination to serve as the first Latina Justice on the bench of our state’s highest court is an inspiration to all of us,” the Democratic governor wrote in a statement.

Now that she has been nominated, Guerrero must be confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, made up of California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Senior Presiding Justice of the state Court of Appeal Manuel A. Ramirez.

“I am deeply honored by this incredible opportunity to uphold the rule of law and make a positive impact on the lives of Californians across the state,” Guerrero said in a statement. “If confirmed, I look forward to helping instill confidence in the equality and integrity of our judicial system while honoring the sacrifices of my immigrant parents.”

Guerrero, a UC Berkeley and Stanford Law School graduate, currently lives in San Diego and is a registered Democrat. She has served as an associate justice at the 4th District Court of Appeal since 2017, the Los Angeles Times reported. 

“Despite the important contributions that Latinas make to power California’s economy, they continue to be underrepresented in positions of power,” Sonja Diaz, who leads UCLA’s Latino Policy and Politics Initiative, wrote in a statement. “With the nomination of Judge Patricia Guerrero, California joins Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, New York and Texas in elevating Latina representation to these state’s highest courts.”

If confirmed, Guerrero will replace former Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar, a Mexican-American jurist who left the court Oct. 31 to lead the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C. Cuéllar was appointed to the court by former Gov. Jerry Brown in 2014.