Alfred Coletta
2021 - Present
2029
4
Alfred Coletta is a judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California. He assumed office in 2021. His current term ends on January 8, 2029.
Coletta won re-election for judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California outright in the primary on June 7, 2022, after the primary and general election were canceled.
Governor Gavin Newsom (D) appointed Coletta to the court on March 25, 2021, to replace Lisa Hart Cole.[1]
Although California Superior Court judges are elected in nonpartisan elections, a press release from Gov. Newsom's office announcing Coletta's appointment on March 25, 2021, identified him as a Democrat.[1]
Biography
Coletta received his J.D. from Western State College of Law. He served as Deputy County Counsel at the Los Angeles County Counsel’s Office in 1988. From 1988 up to his 2021 appointment, he served as a Deputy District Attorney in various divisions at the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Los Angeles County, California (2022)
Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. Alfred Coletta (Nonpartisan) won the election without appearing on the ballot.
2018
General election
General election for Superior Court of Los Angeles County
A. Verónica Sauceda defeated Alfred Coletta in the general election for Superior Court of Los Angeles County on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | A. Verónica Sauceda (Nonpartisan)  | 59.5 | 1,352,156 | |
 | Alfred Coletta (Nonpartisan) | 40.5 | 920,807 | |
| Total votes: 2,272,963 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Superior Court of Los Angeles County
A. Verónica Sauceda and Alfred Coletta defeated Matthew Schonbrun in the primary for Superior Court of Los Angeles County on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | A. Verónica Sauceda (Nonpartisan) | 46.8 | 535,416 | |
| ✔ | | Alfred Coletta (Nonpartisan) | 42.1 | 481,525 |
| Matthew Schonbrun (Nonpartisan) | 11.2 | 128,111 | ||
| Total votes: 1,145,052 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Selection method
- See also: Nonpartisan election
The 1,535 judges of the California Superior Courts compete in nonpartisan races in even-numbered years. If a candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the June primary election, he or she is declared the winner; if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff between the top two candidates is held during the November general election.[2][3][4][5]
If an incumbent judge is running unopposed in an election, his or her name does not appear on the ballot. The judge is automatically re-elected following the general election.[2]
The chief judge of any given superior court is selected by peer vote of the court's members. He or she serves in that capacity for one or two years, depending on the county.[2]
Qualifications
Candidates are required to have 10 years of experience as a law practitioner or as a judge of a court of record.[2]
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Alfred Coletta did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Alfred Coletta completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Coletta's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Ensure the judicial process dispenses justice to all people quickly and objectively. Fairness and respect to all litigants and parties. Decisive and issue decisions that are fully explained based on the laws of the land.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Judicial candidates cannot promote any public policy. Nor can they allow their personal belief system to interfere with their ruling on any case. As a judge, I will respect and support our Constitution, legal decisions and statutory law in an objective and fair manner. I will faithfully do what the law requires in order to administer justice to all persons in a fair manner.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
Experience Matters! I have been in the courtroom for 31 years prosecuting murderers, violent criminals, sexual predators, major drug traffickers and hardcore gangs. I am tough on crime but fair in court, and endorsed by the Los Angeles Times.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
Experienced in the courtroom; Provide assurance that the judicial process will be dispensed justly to all people in a quick and objective manner; Provide assurance that all litigants and parties will be treated with fairness and respect.
What legacy would you like to leave?
Objective. Fair. Impartial.
How would you describe your legal philosophy?
America is a nation of laws. Justice is objective and impartial.
Do you believe that empathy is an important quality for a judge?
yes.
Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this judicial position that you believe more people should be aware of?
Each person who takes the oath of judicial office, must not consider their personal views in any way when addressing cases, controversies or issues that come before them. A judge should address each case on its own merits without any regard for their own political or religious philosophy.
Have you ever been rated by a Bar Association? If so, what was the rating?
Qualified.
Do you believe that the Bar Association ratings are an accurate reflection of a judge's ability?
No.
Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I have been endorsed by Retired Judge Roy Paul who found me exceptionally well qualified, after much vetting, to endorse me for his seat. I am the only accomplished jury trial lawyer running for Office #4.
If you are not a sitting judge, do you have previous judicial experience? Do you believe it's important to have that kind of experience for this judgeship?
I have been in the courtroom 31 years, with 120 felony jury trials to verdict and 43 murder convictions. Furthermore, I was assigned to the following special divisions within L.A.D.A.'s office: Elite Trial Unit, Hardcore Gang Division, Major Narcotics & Forfeiture Division, Environmental Crimes & O.S.H.A. Division, and Justice System Integrity Division. I have further experience as a grand jury advisor and civil trials.
Do you believe that it's beneficial for a judge to have previous experience in government or politics?
A judge must have experience in the law, yes. If a judge has experience in government or politics, it would be a hindrance because it goes against our judicial system that requires impartiality and objectivity.
What is your primary concern about today's legal system in your state?
My current concern for our judicial system is the overly politicizing of the judicial branch of government, which could preclude it from being completely law-abiding, objective and impartial.
What do you consider the greatest opportunity for the legal system in your state?
I see a need for successful rehabilitation programs introduced more widely in our judicial system. Thus far, private rehabilitation programs have the best success rate.
Would you be interested in serving on a higher court in the future? If so, which court appeals to you?
No.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
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Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, "Governor Newsom Appoints 18 Superior Court Judges 3.25.21," March 25, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: California," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Safeguarding California's judicial election process," August 21, 2011
- ↑ California Elections Code, "Section 8203," accessed May 21, 2014
- ↑ California Elections Code, "Section 8140-8150," accessed May 21, 2014
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California
State courts:
California Supreme Court • California Courts of Appeal • California Superior Courts
State resources:
Courts in California • California judicial elections • Judicial selection in California
