Fourth District Court of Appeal Justice Patricia Guerrero made history last month when she became the first Latina to be nominated to serve on California’s Supreme Court.
She made history again on Tuesday when she received a unanimous 3-0 confirmation vote from the Commission on Judicial Appointments, solidifying her place on the bench and in California state history.
“As I’ve tried to express, this is not just about me, or really even just about my parents, but it’s about so many others just like us,” said Guerrero, the daughter of Mexican immigrants. Her father was at one time a farmworker. The Associated Press (AP) reports that he “wore cowboy boots to the hearing and beamed from the front row of the courtroom along with Guerrero’s husband and one of their two sons.”
The AP reports that in addition to receiving a unanimous vote from the commission to replace retired Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar, Guerrero faced no opposition during her hearing.
“Supporters praised the breadth of Guerrero’s career, her legal writing and her ability to find consensus with other judges,” while the chair of the State Bar Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation called the judge “phenomenal on multiple levels,” the report continued.
“She is universally lauded for her superior intellect, clear writing, judicial temperament, work ethic and compassion,” Chair Stella Ngai said in the report.
In nominating her last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office described Guerrero’s “extensive experience handling complex litigation matters, intellectual rigor and commitment to fairness and equality,” including pro-bono work as a member of the Advisory Board of the Immigration Justice Project.
“She has assisted clients on a pro bono basis in immigration matters, including asylum applications and protecting vulnerable families by litigating compliance with fair housing laws,” the governor’s office said.
As previously noted, Guerrero’s confirmation makes history in multiple ways by also creating a female majority on the court for the first time in about five years.
A California Courts Newsroom release said two dozen family members and friends attended Guerrero’s confirmation hearing, including some from Imperial Valley where she grew up. Tragically missing from the hearing was Guerrero’s mom, who recently died of cancer. The AP reported that Guerrero withheld discussing her mom until the end of her remarks “because she didn’t think she could get through them if she discussed her sooner.”
“This is a story of the American Dream, the belief that with hard work, perseverance and opportunities, anything is possible,” Guerrero said in the AP report. “And for that I am thankful.”
