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Javier Perez (California)
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2019 - Present
2031
6
Javier Perez is a judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California. He assumed office on January 1, 2019. His current term ends on January 6, 2031.
Perez won re-election for judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California outright in the primary on March 5, 2024, after the primary and general election were canceled.
Elections
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Los Angeles County, California (2024)
Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. Javier Perez (Nonpartisan) won the election without appearing on the ballot.
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Perez in this election.
2018
General election
General election for Superior Court of Los Angeles County
Javier Perez defeated Michael Ribons in the general election for Superior Court of Los Angeles County on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Javier Perez (Nonpartisan)  | 68.6 | 1,512,787 | |
| Michael Ribons (Nonpartisan) | 31.4 | 693,678 | ||
| Total votes: 2,206,465 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Superior Court of Los Angeles County
Javier Perez and Michael Ribons defeated Steven Schreiner in the primary for Superior Court of Los Angeles County on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Javier Perez (Nonpartisan) | 41.4 | 447,838 | |
| ✔ | Michael Ribons (Nonpartisan) | 34.1 | 368,553 | |
 | Steven Schreiner (Nonpartisan) | 24.6 | 265,939 | |
| Total votes: 1,082,330 | |||
| = 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.[1][2][3][4]
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.[1]
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.[1]
Qualifications
Candidates are required to have 10 years of experience as a law practitioner or as a judge of a court of record.[1]
2016
California held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. There was a primary on June 7, 2016. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was March 31, 2016. A total of 351 seats were up for election. Susan Jung Townsend defeated Javier Perez in the election for Office 84 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
| Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge, Office #84 General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Susan Jung Townsend |
59.63% | 1,061,940 |
| Javier Perez | 40.37% | 718,975 |
| Total Votes | 1,780,915 | |
| Source: Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder, "2016 Unofficial General Election Results," accessed November 11, 2016 | ||
Susan Jung Townsend and Javier Perez defeated Hubert Yun and Aaron Weissman in the primary election on June 7, 2016.
| Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge, Office #84, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Susan Jung Townsend |
36.28% | 531,349 |
| Javier Perez |
31.10% | 455,403 |
| Hubert Yun | 17.85% | 261,413 |
| Aaron Weissman | 14.77% | 216,232 |
| Total Votes | 1,464,397 | |
| Source: Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters, "Presidential Primary Election June 7, 2016," July 1, 2016 | ||
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Javier Perez did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Javier Perez completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Perez's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Ensure a fair proceeding for all. Run an efficient court. Demonstrate empathy and respect for all who appear in court and demand that all litigants do as well.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
As a judicial candidate we are prohibited from taking political positions. However, I have been seeking justice as an advocate since 1990 and will continue to ensure that justice is done as a judge.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
There are many people I look up to but the person I have admired the most is my father. He and my mother are immigrants from Mexico. They worked hard raising their children and always striving to make life better for their family. He has demonstrated a strong work ethic, integrity and a commitment to do what is right.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
Two of my favorite books are Grapes of Wrath and To Kill a Mockingbird.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Honesty, integrity, work ethic and courage to do what's right.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I have legal knowledge, experience, courage, judicial temperament and empathy.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
To fulfill their responsibilities as an elected official and not be concerned with getting re-elected.
What legacy would you like to leave?
I hope that after someone appears before me that they know that they were heard and that any ruling or decision I reached was done after much thought and reflection.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
I recall as a young child my family sitting in front of the television watching the news when Robert Kennedy was killed.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
My first job was as a paperboy delivering newspapers from my bike. I had it for a couple of years.
Is there a particular judge, past or present, whom you admire?
Chief Justice Warren is judge I admire a great deal. He presided over many landmark decisions that contributed to making our country a better place.
Do you believe that empathy is an important quality for a judge?
It is an essential characteristic in a judge.
Have you ever been rated by a Bar Association? If so, what was the rating?
I was rated Well Qualified by the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
Do you believe that the Bar Association ratings are an accurate reflection of a judge's ability?
I believe the Bar Association vets the candidates as thoroughly as possible.
Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I am a resident of Los Angeles County and my preference is to be a judge in the county where I live.
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 do not have previous judicial experience however I have spent many years in courtrooms and have handled calendar.
Do you believe that it's beneficial for a judge to have previous experience in government or politics?
I do not think that having experience in politics helps a judge, however I believe being familiar with the court system is very beneficial. The experience of being a deputy district attorney has allowed me the opportunity to interact with many of the agencies that I will be interacting with as a judge.
What is your primary concern about today's legal system in your state?
Court delays and not having enough courts to serve the public is a concern.
Would you be interested in serving on a higher court in the future? If so, which court appeals to you?
I am not interested in a higher court.
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
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 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
