Linda Sun

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Linda Sun

Nonpartisan

Superior Court of Los Angeles County

Tenure

2021 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

4

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

March 3, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

UCLA, 1988

Law

Southwestern University School of Law, 1999

Personal

Profession

Deputy Attorney General at the California Dept. of Justice

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Linda Sun is a judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California. She assumed office on January 4, 2021. Her current term ends on January 4, 2027.

Sun won election for judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California outright in the primary on March 3, 2020, after the general election was canceled.

Sun completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Elections

2020

See also: Municipal elections in Los Angeles County, California (2020)

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Superior Court of Los Angeles County

Linda Sun won election outright against Robert Villa in the primary for Superior Court of Los Angeles County on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Linda Sun (Nonpartisan)	57.3	935,772
	Submit photo	Robert Villa (Nonpartisan)	42.7	696,070

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 1,631,842
= 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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Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Linda Sun completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Sun's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

After I graduated from UCLA with a BA in Economics, I worked for several years before I applied for law school (Southwestern). While in law school, I worked full-time to pay off my tuition and to support my elderly parents. In 2000, I passed the bar on my first attempt while I was pregnant. I continued to work as a pro bono attorney to help the homeless until I was hired as a Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice where I have been working for the last 19 years, specializing in consumer protection litigation. As a Deputy Attorney General for 14 years, I have personally prosecuted close to 1000 unscrupulous professionals, and have regularly appeared in administrative, civil, criminal and appellate courts. As a Supervising Deputy Attorney General for the last five years, I have supervised the prosecution of the most complex cases in my office, and have effectively managed the highest performing team of attorneys and paralegals. Outside of work, I have served the underrepresented in my community for over 28 years, and have received many community leadership awards. Since the commencement of my campaign, I have received the endorsements of over 100 judges (including the Presiding Judge Kevin Brazile), elected officials and organizations. For more information, please visit my website at www.LindaSunForJudge.com

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I will bring a diversity of professional experience to the bench.
• My experience as a Supervising Deputy Attorney General will allow me to manage the court calendar efficiently so that justice is not delayed and no one's time will be wasted.
• My community service experience will enable me to serve with empathy, sensitivity and fairness.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about protecting the rights of consumers and public safety. I have dedicated 19 years of my professional life to protecting the public against licensees who have committed professional misconduct, scammed unsuspected consumers, or otherwise evinced a potential unfitness to perform work in their licensed capacity.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My Godmother - the late Secretary of State and Ambassador March Fong Eu. Being an early champion for women's rights (by famously smashing a paid toilet), enviromental protection and equality for all, she was the one who inspired me to attend law school and pursue a career in public service.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Please visit my website www.lindasunforjudge.com

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, strong work ethic and empathy.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am tenacious and hard-working. I always put in my 200% and strive to leave a positive impact in everything I do (this includes charity work as well.)

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibilites for a judge are to (1) ensure the fair administration of justice, and (2) treat everyone with dignity and empathy.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy of being a fair and impartial judge.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was working as an administrative assistant for one summer.

What is your favorite book? Why?

To Kill a Mocking Bird - I can relate to the racial discrimination and inequality that still exist in our society.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Mulan - I admire her bravery.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Forever Young by Alphaville

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

I believe judges are given broad latitude to make sentencing decisions under certain circumstances. That is why it is important to elect judges who are empathetic and who are capable of making the right decisions.

How would you describe your legal philosophy?

To uphold and enforce laws impartially, and to ensure safety, liberty and justice for all.

Is there a particular judge, past or present, whom you admire?

My mentor U.S. District Judge Ronald S.W. Lew.

Do you believe that empathy is an important quality for a judge?

Absolutely. Empathy is a very important quality for a judge.

Have you ever been rated by a Bar Association? If so, what was the rating?

I was rated Qualified by the Los Angeles County Bar Association.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for a judge to have previous experience in government or politics?

Not necessarily.

What is your primary concern about today's legal system in your state?

The lack of funding which results in a backlog of cases.

Do you believe that Bar Association ratings are an accurate reflection of a judge’s ability?

It should also be important to take into consideration the diversity of personal and professional experiences that are needed on the bench. According to the latest statistics, of the 5.8 million cases filed, 1.3 million were civil, 960,000 were criminal and the rest were infractions. Only 11,000 resulted in jury trials and 400,000 resulted in bench trials. While criminal jury trial experience is helpful, there is perhaps a greater need for judges with civil bench trial experience.

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.

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Superior Court of Los Angeles County

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