LAKEPORT, Calif. –Dozens of friends, family and colleagues came to honor a Lake County Superior Court judge on his retirement during a Thursday afternoon celebration.

Judge David Herrick is retiring after 18 years on the Lake County Superior Court bench.

The Thursday party to honor Herrick was held in his Department 1 courtroom.

Herrick, 64, was elected in 1994 to succeed Judge John Golden. He took the bench in January 1995.

Michael Lunas, elected in November, is succeeding Herrick to the Department 1 bench.

Lunas will be sworn in during a special ceremony on Monday, Jan. 7, at 4 p.m., also in the Department 1 courtroom.

Herrick told Lake County News that he plans to continue working part-time during his retirement, although he’s looking forward to more time to play golf and travel with wife of 32 years, Cheryl.

Lake County News will publish an in-depth interview with Herrick about his time on the bench in the coming week.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.