Newsom Nominates Fresno Judge Amy Guerra to Fifth District Court of Appeal

Gov. Gavin Newsom nominated Fresno County Superior Court Judge Amy Guerra to serve as an associate justice on the California Fifth District Court of Appeal, a nomination that would remove her from the Fresno bench and create a vacancy if the Commission on Judicial Appointments confirms the appointment. The governor’s office listed Guerra among three appellate nominees in a state press release dated Feb. 19, 2026.

"What happened: Governor Gavin Newsom has nominated Fresno Superior Court Judge Amy Guerra to the California Fifth District Court of Appeal. The nomination was announced Feb. 20, 2026, and if the appointment is confirmed it will remove Judge Guerra from the Fresno County Superior Court bench and plac"

Guerra, 46 and identified as a Democrat in local reporting, has served on the Fresno County Superior Court since Oct. 11, 2018, after being appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown. Before joining the bench she worked at the Fresno County Alternate Defense Office as an associate from 2007 to 2014 and as chief defense attorney from 2014 to 2018. On the Fresno bench she has presided over family law, domestic violence, and collaborative court assignments, and she succeeded Judge Mark Snauffer when she joined the Superior Court.

Guerra issued a series of comments about the elevation in local coverage, saying she was "deeply honored." Guerra added, "I look forward to stepping into this new role and working alongside everyone at the Fifth District Court of Appeal." She further described the appellate role: "I’m very excited to take on a new role at the appellate level, where the responsibility shifts to carefully reviewing legal decisions to ensure the law is applied consistently and correctly. It’s a meaningful next chapter in my commitment to public service and I look forward to continuing to serve this community."

The nomination requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, which the governor’s office identified as Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Senior Presiding Justice Brad Hill. Appellate justices serve 12-year terms; if confirmed, Guerra would face the voters at the next general election cycle, reported as potentially "as soon as November", and, if retained, would serve out the term through 2031.

Guerra’s nomination fills the vacancy created by the June 2025 retirement of Justice M. Bruce Smith, who served about 11 years on the Fifth District bench after his nomination by Gov. Gray Davis and confirmation in December 2014. Gov. Newsom announced Guerra’s nomination alongside two other Court of Appeal picks and seven Superior Court appointments across Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Francisco, and Santa Clara counties, a slate the governor’s office said continues his reshaping of the state judiciary.

If the Commission on Judicial Appointments confirms Guerra, Gov. Newsom could name a replacement to the Fresno Superior Court before his term ends in January 2027, a prospect that would reshape local trial-court staffing. The confirmation schedule for the commission hearing has not been announced publicly, and the timing will determine when Guerra would depart the Fresno bench and when the governor may act to fill her seat.