Judiciary Committee

The FBANC Judiciary Committee (“the Committee”) evaluates candidates for judicial positions who seek FBANC’s endorsement for appointments and elections.  The Committee’s findings are provided to the full FBANC Board of Directors (“Board”), which then decides whether and how to endorse a candidate.  The Committee strives to promote qualified candidates and greater diversity in the federal and state judiciaries.

2023-2024 Committee Chairs: Nelson Pineda Lam and James Villanueva

Committee members:

• Raymond Rollan (Immediate Past Co-Chair)

• Jennifer Sta.Ana (Past Chair)

• David Mesa (Past Chair)

• Mari Bandoma Callado (Past Chair)

• Arthur Barrios

• Bonifacio Sison

• Jamie Martinez

• Steffi Jose

• Vanessa Candelaria

Procedure for Judicial Candidates Seeking FBANC’s Endorsement

A. Requesting FBANC’s Endorsement

Judicial candidates seeking FBANC’s endorsement should send an email requesting the endorsement and enclose a copy of his/her completed judicial application form or Personal Data Questionnaire (PDQ) and any pertinent writing samples to the chair of the Committee.

Candidates should mail their requests for endorsement at least three months prior to the date endorsement is required. Any requests for endorsement mailed less than three months prior to the date required may not be considered by FBANC.

*Confidentiality: The names and application materials of all candidates seeking judicial endorsements shall be kept confidential by the Committee and Board.

  B. The Evaluation Process

The Committee shall select one of its members to act as point person on each request for endorsement.  The point person will conduct an initial review of the application materials and recommend a process to all other members of the Committee.

The point person will contact the candidate to arrange for an interview by phone or in person by at least two members of the Committee.  The Committee may also contact references provided in the candidate’s PDQ for additional information.

The point person will make a recommendation to other members of the Committee as to whether the Committee should recommend endorsement of the candidate to the FBANC Board.  Committee members will vote by majority rule of all Committee members voting as to whether the Committee will recommend endorsement to the FBANC Board. The ratings used by the committee are the same as those used by the Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation:

• Exceptionally Well Qualified: Possessing qualities and attributes considered to be of   remarkable or extraordinary superiority so that, without real doubt, such person is deemed to be fitted to perform the judicial function with distinction

• Well Qualified: Possessing qualities and attributes considered to be worthy of special note as indicative of a superior fitness to perform the judicial function with a high degree of skill and effectiveness.

• Qualified: Possessing qualities and attributes considered to equip a person to perform the judicial function adequately and satisfactorily.

• Not Qualified: Possessing less than the minimum qualities and attributes considered necessary to perform the judicial function adequately and satisfactorily.

Upon approval by the FBANC board, the point person on the Committee will draft a letter of support for the candidate. The letter of endorsement will be mailed directly to the Governor’s Office and/or the Judicial Appointments Secretary (for state judgeships) or to Senators and/or other appropriate review committee (for federal judgeships). A copy of the letter of endorsement will also be e-mailed to the candidate’s preferred email address.

If the FBANC  Board declines endorsement of a candidate, the point person on the Committee will draft a letter informing the candidate of that fact.

FBANC Resources

The Committee also offers candidate assistance on a case-by-case basis as follows:

• PDQ Review, Evaluation and Editing (prior to PDQ submission); and

• Interview Preparation.

Please contact the Committee Chair for more information.

Other Resources

http://www.calbar.ca.gov/AboutUs/JudicialNomineesEvaluation.aspx

Regional Judicial Selection Advisory Committees (JSACs)

Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation (JNE)

Pathways to Judicial Appointment Toolkit

Instructions for Completing Judicial Appointment Applications