Modesto native, Stanislaus presiding judge nominated to state appeals court
Stanislaus County Superior Court Presiding Judge Sonny Sandhu, a Modesto native who became the county’s first Asian American judge in 2018, has been nominated by Gov. Gavin Newsom to serve on California’s Fifth District Court of Appeal.
If confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, Sandhu would become the first judge from Stanislaus County appointed to the appellate court since 1961 and the first Asian American Pacific Islander justice to serve on the Fifth District Court of Appeal, according to the Stanislaus County Superior Court.
The nomination marks the latest milestone in a legal career that began in the Stanislaus County Public Defender’s Office more than two decades ago. Before taking the bench in 2018, Sandhu spent about 15 years as a public defender, ultimately serving as chief public defender. He has served as the county’s presiding judge for the past 18 months.
Born and raised in Modesto, Sandhu earned a bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Barbara and a law degree from The Ohio State University College of Law.
When then-Gov. Jerry Brown appointed Sandhu to the Superior Court in 2018, he became the first Asian American judge to serve on the Stanislaus County bench. He may have been the first member of the Sikh faith to serve as a judge in the county.
Prior to his appointment, Sandhu worked in the Stanislaus County Public Defender’s Office beginning in 2003, serving as deputy public defender, chief deputy public defender and eventually chief public defender.
The Fifth District Court of Appeal, headquartered in Fresno, reviews appeals from trial courts throughout the Central Valley, including Stanislaus County.
