Tony Cho
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2019 - Present
2031
6
Tony Cho is a judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California. He assumed office on January 7, 2019. His current term ends on January 6, 2031.
Cho 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. Tony Cho (Nonpartisan) won the election without appearing on the ballot.
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Cho in this election.
2018
General election
General election for Superior Court of Los Angeles County
Tony Cho defeated Holly Hancock in the general election for Superior Court of Los Angeles County on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Tony Cho (Nonpartisan)  | 55.6 | 1,271,940 | |
 | Holly Hancock (Nonpartisan) | 44.4 | 1,015,621 | |
| Total votes: 2,287,561 | |||
| = 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
Tony Cho and Holly Hancock defeated Ben Colella in the primary for Superior Court of Los Angeles County on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Tony Cho (Nonpartisan) | 45.8 | 506,865 | |
| ✔ | | Holly Hancock (Nonpartisan) | 37.8 | 418,553 |
| Ben Colella (Nonpartisan) | 16.3 | 180,587 | ||
| Total votes: 1,106,005 | |||
| = 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]
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Tony Cho did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Tony Cho completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Cho's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
1. Through the fair administration of Justice, I hope to increase public confidence in the judicial system. 2. I hope to provide equal access to the courts for all. 3. I will efficiently and effectively manage my courtroom, to ensure all parties have a fair opportunity to be heard
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I care deeply about public safety, and in particular, protecting our community's elders. Elders are among the most vulnerable, yet often overlooked segments of society, and are frequently targets for abuse. Knowing this, I have dedicated almost half of my career in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office to prosecuting elder abuse, which includes physical abuse, sexual assaults, neglect, and financial abuse.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
The two people that I admire the most are my parents. They came to this country with nothing; they had no family or friends in the U.S., and did not speak the language. They faced many hardships and challenges, but through it all, worked harder than I can possibly imagine to provide a better life for themselves and their family. My parents were successful in building a life in the U.S. They taught each of their children the value of hard work and the importance of getting an education. They put all three of the children through college, each went to law school, and all three are now practicing attorneys. My parents started a small business, worked day and night to make it ends meet, and after years of struggling, working long hours, and sacrificing, they turned their business into a great success.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
For more information about me and my candidacy, I would direct people to my website, www.cho4judge.com.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Elected officials need (1) the heart and desire to serve the community, (2) empathy, and (3) humility, which is a characteristic that is often overlooked when considering a candidate.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I believe that I have the above-mentioned qualities: the heart to serve, empathy, and humility. I also possess a strong work ethic, and extensive and diverse legal experience.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
I believe the core responsibility is to ensure the fair administration of justice.
What legacy would you like to leave?
I would like my legacy to be that of a fair and impartial judge.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
The first historical event that I can remember is Ronald Reagan being elected President of the United States. I was five years old at the time.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
My very first job was as a telemarketer, where I would conduct surveys over the phone. I was 15 or 16 years old at the time. I only held the job for about six months before I quit.
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it is a time when my family comes together and we reflect on the many blessings we have had over the past year.
How would you describe your legal philosophy?
I have always sought to follow the law, to seek justice, and to do what was right.
Is there a particular judge, past or present, whom you admire?
Yes, I admire several judges who I have worked with, including Judge Ronald Coen and Judge Mark Kim. Both are excellent jurists, who have a keen grasp of the law, and make sound, well-reasoned rulings.
Do you believe that empathy is an important quality for a judge?
Yes, I believe that empathy is an important quality for a judge.
Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this judicial position that you believe more people should be aware of?
In certain circumstances, judges are given broad discretion to make decisions, such as sentencing and pretrial detention, within the confines of the law.
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 the Bar Association ratings are an accurate reflection of a judge's ability?
The ratings can be a reflection of a candidate's ability to perform the function of a judge, but this is not always the case.
Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I have had the privilege of serving the community for the past 13 years as a deputy district attorney. I wish to continue serving the community, just in a different capacity as a judge, while taking on greater authority and more responsibility in the courtroom.
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 prior judicial experience. I believe that prior judicial experience would be an important factor in considering a judicial candidate. However, I also believe that prior litigation or courtroom experience can be an adequate substitute for prior judicial experience.
Do you believe that it's beneficial for a judge to have previous experience in government or politics?
I do not believe that prior experience in politics is necessarily beneficial for a judge.
What is your primary concern about today's legal system in your state?
One of my primary concerns about the legal system today is the lack of funding for alternative sentencing programs. In many of my cases, I have found that offenders have substance abuse issues and/or mental health issues. In order to prevent recidivism, it would be important to address these issues as part of the offenders' sentences.
What do you consider the greatest opportunity for the legal system in your state?
The greatest opportunity for our legal system would be to use alternative sentencing programs to address the underlying issues that cause criminality, and thereby prevent recidivism.
Would you be interested in serving on a higher court in the future? If so, which court appeals to you?
I do not believe that I would be interested in serving on a higher court later on in my career.
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
