By Office of the California Governor

Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Friday, March 27 2026, his appointment of two more Superior Court Judges in Contra Costa County, Hanni Fakhoury and Amanda Karl.

Hanni Fakhoury, of Contra Costa County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Contra Costa County Superior Court. Fakhoury has worked as a Partner of Moeel Lah Fakhoury since 2021, where he works in white collar and federal criminal defense as a trial attorney and mediator. He served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender at the Federal Public Defender for Northern District of California from 2015 to 2021. Fakhoury worked as a Staff Attorney and Senior Staff Attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation from 2011 to 2015. He worked as a Trial Attorney at the Federal Defenders of San Diego from 2007 to 2011.

According to his Linkedin profile, “Fakhoury is an accomplished litigator who represents individuals and companies in criminal prosecutions and government and regulatory investigations. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a Northern California Super Lawyer. In addition to litigation, Hanni serves as a mediator in the Northern District of California’s ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) program and is a co-lecturer at UC Berkeley School of Law.

According to his bio on his law firm’s website, Fakhoury is a “Bay Area native” and “proudly serves the Northern District of California as a member of its Criminal Justice Act (CJA) trial panel, representing indigent criminal defendants. He was also selected by the Northern District bench to serve on the court’s Standing Committee on Professional Responsibility, Criminal Rules and Practice Committee, and CJA Administration Committee.”

“A sought-after teacher, Hanni…co-teaches a seminar on white collar crime. He has presented and lectured at over 100 legal conferences to wide audiences, including judges, attorneys and the public at large.”

Fakhoury received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Charles S. Treat. Fakhoury is a Democrat.

Amanda Karl, of Alameda County, has also been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Contra Costa County Superior Court. Karl has worked as a Partner at Gibbs Mura since 2022, where she also worked as an Associate from 2016 to 2021. She served as a Law Clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California from 2015 to 2016 and at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2014 to 2015.

According to her profile on the Gibbs Mura website, Karl “represents consumers, employees and others who have been harmed by corporations. She has prosecuted a wide range of complex cases, including product defect, failure-to-warn, wage and hour, data breach, sexual assault, and securities cases, within a variety of industries. In 2024 she was honored as a Rising Star by Law360, a highly selective award that recognizes top attorneys under the age of 40.

Karl received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law as a member of the Order of the Coif, a national honorary scholastic society, which extends invitations to the top 10% of Berkeley Law’s graduating J.D. students by grade point average. . She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Charles B. Burch.  Karl is a Democrat. 

The annual compensation for each of these positions is $244,727.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

By Matt J. Malone, PIO, Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa

The Contra Costa Superior Court is pleased to announce that Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed Carole Bosch as the Court’s newest judge. She took her oath on March 20, 2026, and began presiding in Department 3 on March 23, 2026.

Since 2021, Judge Bosch, of Alameda County, has served as an administrative law judge with the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board since 2021, an independent administrative judicial agency charged with resolving disputed unemployment, disability, and employment tax determinations from the Employment Development Department. She was Vice President and Training Committee Co-Chair for the Administrative Law Judge Association. Simultaneously, she taught as an adjunct professor of legal writing and research at Golden Gate University.

Before serving as administrative law judge, Judge Bosch worked as a civil trial lawyer, including as a managing attorney at Hildebrand, McLeod and Nelson from 2017 to 2021, a partner at Paul & Hanley from 2007 to 2011, and an attorney at Kazan McClain Satterley & Greenwood from 2013 to 2016, in cases involving complex product liability litigation and catastrophic injury. Bosch also worked as a Partner at Minnard Bosch from 2016 to 2017 and at Farrise Law Firm from 2012 to 2013. Early in her legal career, she was an annual attorney with the California Supreme Court in 2007and worked as a Clerk at Hersh & Hersh from 2005 to 2007.

Judge Bosch is graduate of Golden Gate University School of Law and received her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz. She also holds a master’s degree from the University of Birmingham in Great Britain. Judge Bosch fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Patricia Scanlon. Bosch is a Democrat.

The annual compensation for her position is $244,727.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Investigate the operations of local government officers, departments and agencies

Application deadline: March 13, 2026

By Contra Costa County Grand Jurors Association

The Contra Costa County Superior Court is accepting applications for Civil Grand Jury Service for the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 term.

Contra Costa County’s Grand Jury consists of 19 citizens. A new Grand Jury is impaneled each year. Grand Jurors are officers of the Court, and function as an independent body under the guidance of a Superior Court Judge. Jurors are impaneled in June and are expected to attend a two-week training in June. Each term serves through June of the following calendar year.

Every year, in each of California’s 58 counties, a group of ordinary citizens takes an oath to serve as grand jurors. Its function is to investigate the operations of the various officers, departments and agencies of local government. Each Civil Grand Jury determines which officers, departments and agencies it will investigate during its term of office.

Apart from the investigations mandated by the California Penal Code, each County’s Grand Jury decides what it will investigate. Investigations may be initiated in response to letters from citizens, newspaper articles and personal knowledge.

If you are interested in applying, please complete the application and review the timeline below.

https://contracosta.courts.ca.gov/…/2026-2027-cgj…

https://contracosta.courts.ca.gov/…/6-timeline-2026…

Application deadline is 5:00 PM on March 13, 2026.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

By Matt J. Malone, Chief Counsel and PIO, Superior Court of California, Contra Costa County

The Contra Costa Superior Court is pleased to announce that Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed Commissioner Andrew R. Verriere as the Court’s newest judge. He assumed his new role today and will preside in Department 11. His first judicial assignment will be at the George D. Carroll Courthouse in Richmond.

Judge Verriere has served the Court as a Commissioner since May 1, 2023, handling traffic, unlawful detainer, small claims, and domestic violence and civil harassment restraining order matters. While a Commissioner, he worked with the California Judges Association on proposed legislation to amend Penal Code section 1050 in infraction cases, helped establish a guardian ad litem roster for defendants in limited jurisdiction civil cases, and worked with the Traffic Committee to provide improved language access for traffic defendants who communicate primarily in languages other than English.

Prior to serving as Commissioner, Judge Verriere worked as a trial and appellate litigator in civil and probate matters. He was most recently a principal at Hartog, Baer, Zabronsky & Verriere APC, focusing on trust and estate litigation, conservatorship litigation, financial elder abuse, related litigation, and appeals. A highly-regarded speaker and instructor, he has presented to numerous trade organizations on topics of fiduciary duty, financial elder abuse, and discovery dispute resolution. Judge Verriere is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Contra Costa County Bar Association.

Judge Verriere graduated from UC Berkeley School of Law and obtained his B.A. from the University of California, San Diego. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Brian F. Haynes.

Dear Editor: 

It typically takes over a month for the Contra Costa Superior Court to process filings in limited civil cases. In fact, more like 6 weeks. 

This compares badly with other superior courts throughout the state.

In San Diego Superior, for example, I’ve had papers processed within hours. In Marin County Superior Court, I’ve had papers processed within 1 or 2 days. 

This is a real problem because justice delayed is justice denied. 

This is a ridiculously long time when it only takes a few minutes to do the processing.

Yes, I understand that they have a lot of filings to process…but with a lot of filing don’t they also have a lot of taxpayer funding commensurate with the size of the population of the county? 

So why is Contra Costa so much slower than other counties? 

Sincerely,

Edward Teyssier, esq.

National City

399,000 positions paid almost $29 billion in total wages

Includes Contra Costa Superior Court and Cal State East Bay data

SACRAMENTO — State Controller Malia M. Cohen has published the 2023 self-reported payroll data for state departments, superior courts, and California State Universities (CSU) on the Government Compensation in California website. The data covers more than 399,000 positions and approximately $28.87 billion in total wages for those agencies and institutions.

Users of the site can view compensation levels on maps and search by region, narrow results by name of the entity or by job title, and export raw data or custom reports.

The newly published data were reported by:

    • 24 CSU institutions (116,235 employees),

    • 56 superior courts (20,884 employees), and

    • 157 state departments (262,097 employees).

California law requires cities, counties, and special districts to annually report compensation data to the State Controller. The State Controller also maintains and publishes state and CSU salary data. However, no such statutory requirement exists for the University of California, California community colleges, superior courts, fairs and expositions, First 5 commissions, or K-12 education providers; their reporting is voluntary. Two superior courts either did not file or filed a report that was non-compliant, including those in Alameda County and Tuolumne County.

The site contains pay and benefit information on more than two million government jobs in California, as reported annually by each entity.

Contra Costa County Superior Court

As of Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, the information provided for the Contra Costa Superior Court shows 413 employees were paid $35,892,317 in total wages and $13,761,517 in total retirement & health contribution for a total of $49,653,834 in total compensation, or $120,227.20 on average.

In addition the report shares, “This superior court includes payments toward the unfunded liability of the employer sponsored retirement plan.” For more information visit www.cc-courts.org/general/administration.aspx.

Cal State East Bay

As of Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, the information provided for California State University, East Bay shows 3,651 employees were paid a total wages of $132,664,169 and $58,874,273 in total retirement & health contribution, for a total of $191,538,442 in compensation or $52,461.91 on average. That doesn’t take into account the many part-time positions for the two-campus university.

In addition, the report shares, “This California State University includes payments toward the unfunded liability of the employer sponsored retirement plan.” For more information visit www.csueastbay.edu/hr.

The State Controller’s Government Compensation in California website provides information on employee pay and benefits for approximately 2 million positions at more than 5,000 public employers. Public employers annually report employee compensation to the State Controller’s Office. It allows the public to view and search employee job titles, build charts and graphics, and download custom reports and raw data.

About Controller Cohen

As the chief fiscal officer of California, Controller Cohen is responsible for accountability and disbursement of the state’s financial resources. The Controller has independent auditing authority over government agencies that spend state funds. She is a member of numerous financing authorities, and fiscal and financial oversight entities including the Franchise Tax Board. She also serves on the boards for the nation’s two largest public pension funds. Follow the Controller on X at @CAController and on Facebook at California State Controller’s Office.

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, his appointment of 15 Superior Court Judges, which include one in Contra Costa County; two in Los Angeles County; one in Marin County; one in Napa County; one in Riverside County; one in Sacramento County; three in San Diego County; one in San Francisco County; two in San Joaquin County; one in San Mateo County; and one in Santa Clara County.

Michael Nieto, of Contra Costa County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Contra Costa County Superior Court. Nieto has served as an Assistant District Attorney at the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office since 2022 and has been a Deputy District Attorney there since 1997.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Nieto worked in private practice as an associate attorney for McCutcheon Doyle Brown & Enersen from June 1994 to Dec. 1996 and earned a Bachelors of Arts in Government from Harvard University.

He has served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco since 2013. Nieto earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California College of the Law (formerly Hastings), San Francisco. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Clare Maier. Nieto is a Democrat.

The annual compensation for each of the judicial positions is $238,479.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Arrested July 2, 2023, following police chase from Concord to Hercules and back to Bay Point

Has history of arrests dating to 2014

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

A jury in Contra Costa County convicted an Antioch man on offenses related to a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle and illegal firearm possession.

The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office filed a complaint in Superior Court charging 33-year-old Artis Chavez Crenshaw, Jr. (born 2/28/90), on July 6, 2023. The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Philip Farmer, and on January 18th, a jury in Pittsburg found Crenshaw guilty on four out of five counts. (See charges)

The offenses with which Crenshaw was charged with started on July 1st, when a victim’s vehicle was stolen in Antioch. On July 2nd, peace officers spotted Crenshaw driving the stolen vehicle in

Concord and attempted to pull him over. A high-speed chase ensued between police and Crenshaw that began on Port Chicago Highway near Highway 4. The pursuit continued onto westbound Highway 4 as Crenshaw accelerated to 115 mph while weaving through traffic. Even after the CHP laid down a spike strip at Sycamore Avenue near Hercules to disable the vehicle,

Crenshaw continued to evade officers by driving with a flattened tire onto eastbound Highway 4. He was eventually involved in a crash at the San Marco Boulevard exit in Bay Point and was taken into custody after the collision. The entire pursuit totaled 23 miles and lasted 16 minutes.

During his arrest, officers found an AR style pistol in the stolen vehicle. (See video)

Artis Chavez Crenshaw, Jr.’s sentencing hearing will be on March 1st at 8:30 am in front of Judge John Cope at the Arnason Justice Center in Pittsburg. Crenshaw faces a maximum of four years and four months in state prison.

According to localcrimenews.com, Crenshaw has a history of arrests dating to 2014 by Antioch PD, Napa County Sheriff’s Department, Petaluma PD, Concord PD and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department for crimes including shoplifting, addict and convicted felon in possession of a firearm and other gun and ammunition charges, burglary, grand theft, assault with a deadly weapon likely to cause great bodily harm on a peace officer or fireman, receiving or concealing stolen property, possession of personal identity with intent to defraud, robbery and carrying a switch blade.

According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, the 6-foot, five-inch, 205 lb. Crenshaw is being held in the Martinez Detention Facility on no bail and his next court appearance is scheduled for March 1, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. in Superior Court in Pittsburg.

Case No. 04-23-01211 | The People of the State of California v. Artis Chavez Crenshaw, Jr.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.