SAN DIEGO – A San Diego appeals court judge, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, was confirmed Tuesday as the first Latina to serve on the California Supreme Court.
Judge Patricia Guerrero was approved by a 3-0 vote of the Judicial Appointments Committee to fill the vacancy left by Associate Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar, who resigned last year.
Guerrero, 50, grew up in the agricultural Imperial Valley and has worked as a prosecutor, a law firm partner, a Superior Court judge and is a member of the state’s Fourth District Court of Appeals. She will take her seat on the court after Gov. Gavin Newsom, who nominated her, swears her in later.
Governor Gavin Newsom nominates Justice Patricia Guerrero, the daughter of Mexican immigrants.
Guerrero, who was praised by colleagues and members of the panel that included Attorney General Rob Bonta and Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, said she was humbled by the historic significance of her elevation to the court.
He said he stood on the shoulders of his grandparents and parents who emigrated from Mexico to give their children a better life.
“As I have tried to express, this is not just about me, not even about my parents, but about many others like us,” Guerrero said. “This is a story of the American Dream, the belief that with hard work, perseverance and opportunity, anything is possible. And for that I am grateful.”
Guerrero was confirmed after a friendly hearing with no opposition. Cantil-Sakauye indicated that it would be a smooth ride for Guerrero as she opened the hearing by saying it was a joyous occasion.
Supporters praised the breadth of Guerrero’s career, his legal writing, and his ability to find consensus with other justices.
The State Bar Association Judicial Nominees Screening Commission found her exceptionally well qualified for the state’s highest court.
“Judge Guerrero is phenomenal on multiple levels,” said Stella Ngai, chair of the commission. “She is universally praised for her superior intellect, clear writing, judicial temperament, work ethic and compassion.”
Guerrero will take the place of Cuellar, who resigned to become president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Cuellar was nominated to the court by Newsom’s predecessor, Gov. Jerry Brown, also a Democrat.
Five of the seven members of the court were nominated by Democrats and two by Republicans.
Newsom has made diversity on the bench a priority. In 2020, he nominated the first openly gay judge, Martin Jenkins, who is the third black person to serve on the court.
Guerrero’s grandfather came to the United States from the Mexican state of Sonora and obtained residency through a sponsor.
When his father, Jorge Guerrero, came to California, he would pick crops and then work in feedlots. He wore cowboy boots to the hearing and smiled from the front row of the courtroom along with Guerrero’s husband and one of her two children. His sister and several other family members sat behind them.
Guerrero said she hoped her appointment would serve as a tribute to her mother, a nanny who recently died of breast cancer and had emphasized the importance of education and told her children there are no limits to what they can achieve.
Guerrero choked up when he talked about his mother, saying he waited until the end of his comments because he didn’t think he could get over them if he talked about her first.
“It taught us to be strong, compassionate and independent,” he said. “He showed us the importance of family. He taught us to thank God for our blessings. And he showed us that we should help other people when we can. She sacrificed everything for us.”
Guerrero is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford Law School. He financed his education through scholarships and working part time.
California will now join Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, New York and Texas in having Latina judges on their superior courts.
Guerrero will receive a salary of $274,000.
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