Bay Area Bench Composition & Demographics
Coverage of 299+ judges across 9 Bay Area counties — bench capacity, career backgrounds, demographics, and retirement projections.
Total Judges (2024)
299
of 324 authorized
Total Vacancies (2024)
25
unfilled positions
Vacancy Rate (2024)
7.7%
across 9 counties
Criminal Assignments (2024)
97
judges on criminal calendars
Retirement Eligible (5yr)
75
25.1% of bench
Former Prosecutors % (2024)
39.1%
vs 17.7% public defenders
Key Insights
Prosecutor Pipeline
39.1% of Bay Area judges were prosecutors before appointment vs only 17.7% from public defense (2024) — a 3:1 ratio that shapes how the bench approaches criminal cases.
Vacancy Crisis
25 vacancies across 9 counties (2024). Solano (11.8%) and Sonoma (11.1%) hit hardest.
Retirement Wave
75 judges eligible to retire within 5 years — 25.1% of the current bench (2024). Potential for significant bench turnover.
Criminal Division Load
Only 97 judges handle criminal calendars across all 9 counties (2024) — every criminal judicial decision flows through a relatively small pool of judges.
Bench Data by County
Scroll right for more columns →
| County | Authorized | Filled | Vacancies | Vacancy Rate | Criminal Assignments | Commissioners | Retirement Eligible (5yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara | 82 | 76 | 6 | 7.3% | 24 | 14 | 18 (23.7%) |
| Alameda | 72 | 65 | 7 | 9.7% | 22 | 12 | 16 (24.6%) |
| Contra Costa | 40 | 37 | 3 | 7.5% | 12 | 7 | 9 (24.3%) |
| San Francisco | 52 | 49 | 3 | 5.8% | 15 | 10 | 12 (24.5%) |
| San Mateo | 27 | 25 | 2 | 7.4% | 8 | 5 | 6 (24%) |
| Sonoma | 18 | 16 | 2 | 11.1% | 6 | 4 | 5 (31.3%) |
| Solano | 17 | 15 | 2 | 11.8% | 5 | 3 | 4 (26.7%) |
| Marin | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 3 | 3 (30%) |
| Napa | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 2 | 2 (33.3%) |
| Total | 324 | 299 | 25 | 7.7% | 97 | 60 | 75 (25.1%) |
Who Becomes a Judge?
Judges' prior career backgrounds shape their approach to criminal defense, bail, and sentencing. Understanding this structural bias is critical.
Region-wide, 39.1% of judges were prosecutors before appointment, while only 17.7% came from public defense. This means for every former public defender on the bench, there are approximately 3 former prosecutors.
Santa Clara
76 judges
Alameda
65 judges
Contra Costa
37 judges
San Francisco
49 judges
San Mateo
25 judges
Sonoma
16 judges
Solano
15 judges
Marin
10 judges
Napa
6 judges
Why this matters for criminal defense: Judges with prosecution backgrounds tend to favor higher bail amounts, are less receptive to alternative sentencing, and may have different expectations around plea negotiations. Defense attorneys should anticipate these biases when preparing their strategies.
Appointing Governor
In California, the governor appoints all superior court judges. The governor's judicial philosophy shapes bench composition for decades.
Gov. Brown
118
39% of total
Gov. Newsom
113
38% of total
Gov. Schwarzenegger
50
17% of total
Other
18
6% of total
Context: Governor Newsom has appointed over 500 judges since 2019, significantly diversifying the bench. Governor Brown was known for appointing judges with both prosecution and defense backgrounds. Schwarzenegger appointments tended toward candidates with prosecution backgrounds. These appointment patterns directly influence how the bench approaches criminal cases.
Methodology & Sources
Data Sources
- Judicial Council of California, Judicial Officer Demographic Survey (2024)
- Judicial Council Allocation & Vacancy Report
- Governor's Office Judicial Appointments
Last updated: 2025-06
Response Rates
The Judicial Council demographic survey is voluntary. Response rates have been approximately 85-90% in recent years. Some judges' demographic data may not be represented, particularly in race and ethnicity categories where judges may choose not to respond.
Disclaimer
This data is for informational and research purposes only. Career background data reflects pre-appointment careers and does not imply bias in judicial decision-making. Retirement projections are estimates based on CalPERS Judicial Retirement System eligibility and may not reflect actual retirement decisions. Vacancy counts are approximate and change frequently as appointments are made and confirmed.
Explore More Intelligence
Court Analytics
Court performance data and processing times by county.
Sentencing Analytics
Sentencing patterns, trends, and disparities across the Bay Area.
Prosecution Watch
DA office data — budgets, staffing, and conviction rates.
Pretrial Data
Bail and pretrial detention statistics by county.