Newsom appoints several judges to courts in capital region, two who won recent elections

Gov. Gavin Newson has appointed four new judges to Superior Courts in the capital region, including two that recently won elections in March.

Three of the judges will work in Sacramento County.

One is Amy Holliday, a former prosecutor in the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office. Holliday, a Democrat, received more than 58% of the recent vote to fill a vacancy after a judge retired. She would have taken over the job in January, but Newsom’s appointment allows her to assume the role now.

That is the same for Clara Levers, who received almost 70% of the vote in her race for a Yolo County judgeship that was also open due to a retirement. Levers previously worked in the California Attorney General’s Office. She is a Democrat.

Superior Courts oversee criminal cases, including felonies, misdemeanors and traffic violations as well as civil matters.

Also appointed in Sacramento County was Jaya Badiga, who was already working as a temporary judge in the court. Badiga, a Democrat, is filling a vacancy from a retirement.

Allison Zuvela, who most recently worked in the Yolo County Public Defender’s Office, was also picked by Newsom to work in Sacramento. She is also a Democrat and filling a vacancy due to a retirement.

In all, the governor appointed 18 judges to Superior Courts across the state Friday. Each of them will make $238,479 annually.