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COURTS: Governor appoints Humes as associate justice of the First District Court of Appeal
SACRAMENTO – Gov. Jerry Brown has appointed Jim Humes as associate justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Four.
The First Appellate District consists of five divisions and 20 justices serving residents of 12 Northern California counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano and Sonoma.
Each year the justices review more than 2,000 criminal, civil and juvenile appeals, and more than 1,300 original proceedings, the district reported.
Humes, 53, of San Francisco, has served as executive secretary for legal affairs, administration and policy at Gov. Brown’s office since 2011. He was chief deputy attorney general at the Office of Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. from 2007 to 2011.
Humes served in multiple positions at the California Department of Justice from 1993 to 2007, including chief assistant of the civil division and senior assistant attorney general of the health, education and welfare section.
He served in the Colorado Attorney General’s Office from 1984 to 1986 and again from 1987 to 1993.
Humes was an associate at Banta Hoyt Banta Greene Hannen and Everall PC from 1986 to 1987 and at Jay Stuart Radetsky PC from 1983 to 1984.
He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Denver, a master of social science degree from the University of Colorado and a bachelor of arts degree from Illinois State University.
Humes fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Patricia Sepulveda.
This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, which consists of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris and Senior Presiding Justice J. Anthony Kline.
If confirmed, Humes – who is a Democrat – will be the first openly gay justice to serve on the California Court of Appeal.
The compensation for this position is $204,599.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Lake County Superior Court appoints new court executive officer
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Superior Court has announced the appointment of Krista LeVier as the new court executive officer.
LeVier takes over the position vacated by Mary Smith, who is retiring on Dec. 7 after seven years with the court.
“The court system has seen many challenges over the last several years,” LeVier said. “It has been inspiring to watch our staff continuously adapt to these difficult changes. With challenges come opportunities for change. I look forward to continuing to work with our dedicated staff to come out of this challenging time a more accessible and efficient court system.”
The court executive officer is responsible for all nonjudicial functions of the court, including personnel management, preparation and management of the court budget and finances.
The court executive officer serves as clerk of the court and as jury commissioner.
LeVier is a graduate of California State University, Chico, holding a degree in public administration.
She has spent the past eight years working for the Lake County Superior Court. During that time she has served in many different capacities including court clerk, human resources manager and most recently as the assistant court executive officer.
LeVier and her husband Daryl are proud to call Lake County home. Both graduated from Clear Lake High School and returned to Lake County after a short stint living out of county to attend college.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
REGIONAL: Law enforcement officials ask judges not to go through with Fort Bragg court cuts
MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – Law enforcement officials in Mendocino County are asking the Mendocino County Superior Court’s judges not to go forward with deep cuts to services planned at the court’s Fort Bragg-based Ten Mile division.
On Tuesday Mendocino County District Attorney David Eyster, Sheriff Tom Allman, Fort Bragg Police Chief Scott Mayberry, Ukiah Public Safety Director Chris Dewey and Willits Police Chief Gerry Gonzalez delivered a formal letter of opposition to each of the judges of the local Superior Court regarding their plan to curtail court services on the Mendocino Coast, starting in January.
The county’s top law enforcement leaders believe the cutbacks planned for the Fort Bragg-based Ten Mile division of the Superior Court are contrary to the needs of public safety on the coast, and place increased and unfair burdens on coastal residents.
They said that taking away all felony matters, all juvenile hearings, all jury trials and all cases in which defendants are held in-custody is ill-advised.
The cuts, they said, will have a much greater budgetary impact collectively on the Fort Bragg Police Department, the Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, State Parks, Fish and Game, and the District Attorney’s Office than the amount of money the Mendocino County Superior Court hopes to save.
“Victims, witnesses, jurors, business owners, and other interested coastal residents who already have difficulty attending court proceedings in Fort Bragg due to limited transportation options and work obligations will now be forced to undertake an even more daunting and arduous trek – both in terms of time and expense – to the crowded Ukiah courthouse, assuming you go forward with your plan,” the letter said.
Fort Bragg Police are expected to spend less time on the streets and more time driving to the Ukiah courthouse, which is a 90-minute drive one way, the letter said. “None of the coastal law enforcement agencies could anticipate and budget for the increased time and effort your plan will unilaterally cost each agency.”
The letter continues, “Each of us understands that difficult decisions must be considered when budgets are cut. We have all been required to do this within our own organizations. Yet, we have all reorganized and absorbed our respective budget cuts while keeping the public’s interest and their safety foremost in our minds. Again, the service cuts you seek to impose on the coast is a bad plan, makes the courts less accessible to a large percentage of local residents, and hurts more people than it will help the Superior Court’s bottom line.”
The law enforcement officials conclude by asking Mendocino County’s eight judges to make their budget and service cuts in Ukiah if they believe that needs to be done, “but please leave Fort Bragg’s Ten Mile Division of the Superior Court alone so it can continue to be a full-service court doing the important and full-time business of the people who call coastal Mendocino County home.”
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Clearlake man arrested after leading police on pursuit in stolen vehicle
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Friday a Clearlake man driving a stolen vehicle was taken into custody by police following a short chase.
Steven Galvin, 37, was taken into custody following the pursuit, which began shortly after 2:30 p.m., according to Clearlake Police Sgt. Tim Hobbs.
Hobbs said Officer Alan Collier observed a 1999 Toyota Corolla, driven by Galvin, allegedly commit several vehicle code violations on Old Highway 53 near Cass Avenue.
Collier attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle by activating his emergency lights and siren, Hobbs said.
Galvin fled in the Toyota and led Officer Collier on a short, half-mile pursuit that reached approximately 40 miles per hour on residential streets, Hobbs said.
While behind the vehicle dispatch advised Officer Collier the vehicle had been reported stolen in Clearlake the week prior, according to Hobbs.
Galvin voluntarily pulled over and was taken into custody after other officers arrived to assist in the vehicle stop, Hobbs said. Galvin also was found to have a misdemeanor no bail warrant for his arrest.
Hobbs said Galvin was booked into the Lake County Jail for possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property, evading and the warrant.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports