SAN DIEGO — A San Diego judge has been nominated by the Governor to serve on California’s Supreme Court. Judge Patricia Guerrero is an Imperial Valley native and if confirmed, will be the first Latina to serve on the state supreme court.
Before Governor Newsom announced her nomination, he sat down with the Judge to talk about her life and why he thinks she’s the right person to serve on the state’s highest court.
“Your ascendency to this court is meaningful. It’s a new path. When people see your path, they see themselves in you and they see that they too can achieve these great things,” said Gov. Newsom in an interview he conducted with Guerrero.
Judge Patricia Guerrero attended U.C. Berkeley and Stanford Law School, where she earned a juris doctor degree.
Guerrero was appointed to the San Diego Superior Court in 2013. She’s also the daughter of Mexican immigrants and credits her family for all the sacrifices they made.
“My grandfather was able to get a sponsor so that he could have his lawful permanent residence in the United States, and he ended up going to the Imperial Valley,” Guerrero said.
Guerrero is also a former Assistant U.S. Attorney from the Southern District of California and currently serves in the Fourth District Court of Appeal, in San Diego.
“I didn’t get here alone. I stand on the shoulders of my parents and my grandparents who came to this country for greater opportunities for their children,” Guerrero said.
If confirmed, Guerrero will become the first Latina to serve on California’s Supreme Court. San Diego County Board Supervisor Nora Vargas, the first Latina and immigrant to serve on the Board, says representation on the court matters.
“I think it really does represent a huge step for California as we work to having better representation in our courts and other leadership positions that really reflect the diversity of our state,” Vargas said.
Vargas also says Guerrero’s nomination is a reflection of her qualifications, but she will also bring a perspective unique to her life experience.
“This is not a political appointment. This is an appointment based on her judicial experience and her trajectory as a legal mind,” Vargas said.
If confirmed, Guerrero will replace Associate Justice Mariano Florentino-Cuellar. He was the only Latino Justice on the court and he resigned last year.
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