FBANC applauds Governor Schwarzenegger ‘s nomination of Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye of the Court of Appeals, Third Appellate District, as the next Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court. If approved by the three-member Commission on Judicial Appointments and by voters in November, she would become the first Asian American Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, the first Filipina American on the California Supreme Court, and give the California Supreme Court a female majority for the first time in its history.

A graduate of UC Davis, Martin Luther King Jr. School of Law, Justice Cantil-Sakauye was a deputy District Attorney for the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office and later deputy legal affairs secretary and a deputy legislative secretary for then Governor George Deukmejian. In 1990, Governor George Deukmejian appointed her to the Sacramento County Municipal Court; in 1997 Governor Pete Wilson elevated her to the Superior Court, and in 2005 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger nominated her to the Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District.

In addition to her twenty years of experience as a judge, Justice Cantil-Sakauye is a member the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, and the Sacramento Asian Bar Association. She was the recipient of 2005 President’s Award from the Sacramento Asian Bar Association, the 2003 Trailblazer’s award from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Filipina of the Year award and other awards from youth groups.

According to a press release from the Governor’s office, upon the announcement Justice Cantil-Sakauye said, “It is a privilege and a tremendous honor to have the opportunity to serve as chief justice of the California Supreme Court. I have had the distinct pleasure of being a municipal court judge, a superior court judge and an appellate court justice. Being nominated to serve on the highest court in California is a dream come true. I deeply respect the inspirational and visionary work of Chief Justice Ronald George and hope to build upon it. As a jurist, woman and a Filipina, I am extremely grateful for the trust Governor Schwarzenegger has placed in me. I hope to show young people what they can achieve if they follow their dreams and reach for their full potential.”

FBANC congratulates Justice Cantil-Sakauye on her selection as Governor Schwarzenegger’s choice as the 28th Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court.