Two San Gabriel Valley Attorneys Named Superior Court Judge

SOUTH PASADENA, CA — Gov. Jerry Brown Friday announced the appointment of a Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner and two attorneys from Los Angeles and Orange counties as Superior Court judges.

Jana M. Seng, 43, of South Pasadena, has been a head deputy at the Los Angeles County Alternate Public Defender's Office since 2016, where she worked as a deputy alternate public defender since 2005. She previously worked for the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office from 2002 to 2005, and will fill the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Halim Dhanidina to the Court of Appeal.

Michael E. Perez, 51, of San Clemente, has worked as an assistant public defender at the Orange County Public Defender's Office since 2015, where he worked as a deputy public defender from 1997 to 2015 and a law clerk from 1996 to 1997. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position almost two months ago.

Cherol J. Nellon, 56, of La Canada Flintridge, has served as a Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner since 2016 and previously was a deputy public defender for the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office. She will fill the vacancy created by Judge Mary Thornton House's retirement.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Frank J. Menetrez, 52, of Claremont, was appointed an associate justice of Division 2 in California's 4th District Court of Appeal.

Menetrez has served as a Superior Court judge since 2015, and previously worked as an appellate judicial attorney at the 2nd District Court of Appeal from 2005 to 2015 and an associate at Horvitz and Levy from 2004 to 2005 and at Sidley Austin from 2001 to 2004.

He fills a new position created on July 1, and his nomination requires confirmation by the state Commission on Judicial Appointments.

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