Gov. Newsom appoints 3 judges to Sacramento Superior Court

Yesterday California Gov. Gavin Newsom made 18 judicial appointments including three to the Sacramento Superior Court. 

The three new judges for the Sacramento Superior Court are Lee S. Bickley, Joseph M. Cress, and Brenda R. Dabney. All three judges are registered Democrats.

Lee S. Bickley

Ms. Bickley has served as a Senior Attorney at the California Public Employees' Retirement System since 2024. She served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California from 2010 to 2024. 

Bickley was a Branch Chief for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from 2005 to 2010 and a Senior Litigation Associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP from 1998 to 2005. Bickley earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School and will replace of Judge Gerrit W. Wood who retired.

Joseph M. Cress

Cress has been a Chief Assistant Public Defender at the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office since 2022 and has served in several roles there since 1995, including Supervising Assistant Public Defender and Assistant Public Defender. Mr. Cress was also an Adjunct Professor at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law from 2012 to 2015. 

Cress earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge James M. Mize.

Brenda R. Dabney

Dabney has been Northern California Regional Director at the Children’s Law Center of California since 2017. Ms. Dabney has held several roles at the Children’s Law Center of California since 2001, including Firm Director from 2011 to 2017, Supervising Attorney from 2005 to 2011 and Staff Attorney from 2001 to 2005. 

Dabney earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles and is replacing Judge Paul L. Seave who retired.