Governor Gavin Newsom has been busy making moves in the judicial system, announcing appointments of five new superior court judges across the Bay Area and naming two people to California’s Building Standards Commission. These appointments fill vacancies left by retiring judges and represent a mix of legal backgrounds and experience levels across the region.

In Alameda County, Ernesto “Ernie” Castillo is taking over as a superior court judge after running his own law practice since 2013. Castillo earned his law degree from Golden Gate University and previously worked as an associate under attorney Robert Beles for a decade.

Contra Costa County is getting two new judges on the bench. Hanni Fakhoury, who has been a partner at Moeel Lah Fakhoury since 2021, brings experience from his time as an assistant federal public defender for the Northern District of California and his work at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Amanda Karl, who studied at UC Berkeley, is also stepping into the role after working as a partner at Gibbs Mura and serving as a law clerk at both the U.S. District Court and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Justine Cephus is heading to the San Francisco County Superior Court after spending over a decade in law enforcement. She worked as an assistant district attorney for San Francisco from 2012 to 2026 and recently served as a deputy city attorney. Cephus earned her law degree from the California Western School of Law and has also worked in Contra Costa and San Joaquin counties.

David Silberman is taking the San Mateo County Superior Court judge position after spending over two decades in the county counsel’s office, starting in 2004. The UCLA law graduate also brings experience from his time as a law clerk at federal courts and his work at a major law firm.

Beyond the judicial appointments, Newsom also tapped two Bay Area professionals for the California Building Standards Commission. Janice Cheung-Powell, the current fire marshal for the Redwood City Fire Department, has deep experience in fire safety and protection engineering across multiple organizations, including the San Francisco Fire Department and UC San Francisco. Olivia Mae Asuncion, a project architect based in Oakland, is bringing her expertise in accessibility and design from her work at Quattrocchi Kwok Architects and her involvement with the U.S. Access Board.

These positions on the Building Standards Commission require Senate confirmation and come with a $100 per diem compensation. The appointments represent a significant shift in the Bay Area’s judicial and regulatory landscape, with each appointee bringing specialized experience to their new roles.