Gov. Brown Elevates Fresno Women to Judgeships

Gov. Jerry Brown appointed two new judges to the Fresno County Superior Court last week. Both are women from Fresno legal firms.
Amy Guerra, an attorney with Richard Ciummo and Associates, and Ana de Alba, a shareholder at Lang, Richert, and Patch, will join the bench.

They will replace Dale Ikeda, who is retiring, and Mark Snauffer, who was elevated to the state 5th District Court of Appeal in June.
Both women are Democrats.
“I am elated, honored, and humbled by the governor’s appointment.  Becoming a judge is an honor that I do not take lightly and one which I will work daily to continue to deserve,” de Alba said. “I have always viewed and respected the law as a profession, not a job.  My continued desire to serve and enhance the profession is what made me want to apply to the bench.”
Guerra expressed similar excitement.
“I’m unbelievably honored to be selected. I’ve had the pleasure of working as a trial attorney in the Fresno Superior Court my entire career and I look forward to joining the many judges I’ve held in such high regard during that time,” Guerra said. “I’ve wanted to be judge since I was a young child.  I saw it as the pinnacle of a legal career, and later as an attorney.”
Guerra resigned her position on Fresno Mayor Lee Brand’s Citizens’ Public Safety Advisory Board after her appointment.

Open Positions

According to the judicial roster on the Fresno County Superior Court website, four departments are unassigned. They include three at the ‘M’ Street Courthouse (actual address of 2317 Tuolumne Street), which mainly handles traffic cases. There is also a spot open in the juvenile delinquency court.
Also, judges-elect Robert Mangano and Billy Terrence will take the bench in January, replacing Dennis Peterson and Edward Sarkisan, Jr. respectively.