Judicial Endorsement Process

​The San Diego Unity Bar Endorsement Committee is comprised of two co-chairs and
three additional committee members from the affiliate organizations. The San Diego
Unity Bar Endorsements Committee considers endorsement requests from candidates
seeking judicial appointment including, but not limited to, the San Diego Superior Court,
Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division One, and District Court for the Southern District
of California. The San Diego Unity Bar will, from time to time, join an endorsement
made by another Unity Bar. The San Diego Unity Bar does not consider endorsement
request for candidates running for judicial office.
 
Upon receipt of an endorsement application, the Committee reviews the application for
completeness, conducts reference checks, and schedules and holds the endorsement
interview, to which representatives from all affiliates are invited. Upon completion of the
interview, the endorsement committee votes on whether to recommend endorsement
and provides the relevant information to affiliates for their votes on endorsement.
 
A candidate must receive a minimum of seven votes in favor of endorsement, and no
votes against endorsement, in order to secure the San Diego Unity Bar Endorsement. If
a candidate is endorsed, the Committee is responsible for writing the endorsement letter
and providing it to the governor and the judicial appointments secretary, or other
designated recipient.
 
Please note, the San Diego Unity Bar is composed of 13 affiliate organizations. Some of
those organizations have their own requirements regarding endorsements and the
organization’s ability to approve an endorsement request. Due to these requirements,
an endorsement from the San Diego Unity Bar does not automatically mean that all 13
affiliates have approved of the endorsement, but it does mean that none of the affiliates
have objected to the endorsement.

The San Diego Unity Bar Endorsement Committed is comprised of five members.
Current committee members are:
 

• Ana De Santiago Ayon – Co-Chair

• Pauline Villanueva – Co- Chair

• Judge Vallera Johnson (Ret.)

• Brian Byun

• Erika Cheswick