Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo
A general-jurisdiction trial court in California.
The Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo is a general-jurisdiction state trial court in California, where most civil and criminal cases are first heard. Its judges are chosen by gubernatorial appointment from a nominating commission, followed by retention elections, the method California uses for its judges. This page lists the judges on record for this court from our public-records source, current and former; trial-court coverage is partial.
Roster as of the CourtListener bulk-data snapshot (2026-03-31): recent departures and appointments may not be reflected, so it is shown as “on record,” not “currently serving.”
Judges on record
- Marie S. Weiner
- Joseph C. Scott
- Clifford V. Cretan
- Gerald J. Buchwald
- Elizabeth K. Lee
- Lisa A. Novak
- Don R. Franchi
- Donald J. Ayoob
- Virgil R. Swope III
- Richard H. DuBois
- Susan L. Greenberg
- Elizabeth M. Hill
- Jeffrey R. Finigan
- Stephanie G. Garratt
- Sean P. Dabel
- Nancy L. Fineman
- Danny Y. Chou
- Susan M. Jakubowski
- Amarra A. Lee
- Rachel E. Holt
- Michael K. Wendler
Former judges
Other courts in County, California
County is also served by these courts.
How a judge reaches this court. Judges of the Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo are appointed by the governor to 12-year terms and then face yes-or-no retention elections. Selection methods vary by jurisdiction and have changed over time; this page reflects the court’s current method (source: National Center for State Courts). Open any judge to see their tenure and whom they succeeded.
Source: CourtListener / Free Law Project (bulk data); selection method from the National Center for State Courts. Data as of 2026-03-31 (CourtListener bulk snapshot). Verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).