The bench of Monterey County Superior Court has a new judge. Jared A. Jefferson was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill a vacancy, the governor's office announced on Friday, Sept. 3.
Jefferson, 37, became a chief deputy public defender earlier this year, and served in other positions in the Monterey County Public Defender's Office since 2015, and from 2010-11 was a volunteer attorney for the same department. Prior to joining the staff of the Monterey County Public Defender's Office, he worked at the Fresno County Public Defender's Office.
He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Susan Matcham. Matcham retired a year ago after more than 10 years on the Monterey County bench, where she heard criminal, civil and family cases.
She was also appointed by a governor—Arnold Schwarzenegger—to a vacant seat, after working for three years as an assistant city attorney for the city of Salinas, preceded by years in private practice.
Superior court judges are elected by voters at the county level to serve six-year terms, or they may be appointed by the governor to fill vacancies on the bench.
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