Martin J. Jenkins

Martin J. Jenkins

Nonpartisan

California Supreme Court

Tenure

2020 - Present

Term ends

2035

Years in position

3

Prior offices

United States District Court for the Northern District of California

Successor: Edward Chen

---

California 1st District Court of Appeal Division 3

---

Compensation

Base salary

$291,094

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 8, 2022

Appointed

October 5, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

Santa Clara University, 1977

Law

University of San Francisco, 1980

Personal

Birthplace

San Francisco, Calif.

Contact

Official website

float:right;
border:1px solid #FFB81F;
background-color: white;
width: 250px;
font-size: .9em;
margin-bottom:0px;

} .infobox p { margin-bottom: 0; } .widget-row { display: inline-block; width: 100%; margin-top: 1px; margin-bottom: 1px; } .widget-row.heading { font-size: 1.2em; } .widget-row.value-only { text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.value-only.white { background-color: #f9f9f9; } .widget-row.value-only.black { background-color: #f9f9f9; color: black; } .widget-row.Democratic { background-color: #003388; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Republican { background-color: red; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { background-color: grey; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Libertarian { background-color: #f9d334; color: black; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Green { background-color: green; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-key { width: 43%; display: inline-block; padding-left: 10px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold; } .widget-value { width: 57%; float: right; display: inline-block; padding-left: 10px; word-wrap: break-word; } .widget-img { width: 150px; display: block; margin: auto; } .clearfix { clear: both; }

Martin J. Jenkins is a judge of the California Supreme Court. He assumed office on December 4, 2020. His current term ends on January 8, 2035.

Jenkins ran for re-election for judge of the California Supreme Court. He won in the retention election on November 8, 2022.

Jenkins was appointed to the court by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on October 5, 2020, to replace retiring Justice Ming W. Chin. The Commission on Judicial Appointments confirmed Jenkins' appointment on November 10, 2020. To read more about judicial selection in California, click here.

Prior to his appointment to the state supreme court, Jenkins served as a judge on the Oakland Municipal Court, the Superior Court of Alameda County, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and the California First District Court of Appeal.

Jenkins is the first openly gay justice to serve on the California Supreme Court.

Biography

Jenkins was born in 1953 in San Francisco, California. He received a bachelor's degree from Santa Clara University in 1977 and a law degree from the University of San Francisco in 1980. Between his degrees, Jenkins played two non-regular season games with the Seattle Seahawks in the professional football league.

Jenkins began his legal career as a law clerk with the Alameda County district attorney's office before becoming a deputy district attorney in 1981. He worked as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division from 1983 to 1985 before joining the Pacific Bell legal department as a civil litigator.

Gov. George Deukmejian (R) appointed Jenkins to the Oakland Municipal Court in 1989. In 1992, Gov. Pete Wilson (R) elevated Jenkins to the Superior Court of Alameda County, where he served until 1997 when President Bill Clinton (D) appointed him to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. In 2008, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) appointed Jenkins to the third division of the California First District Court of Appeal. In 2019, Jenkins became California's judicial appointments secretary following his appointment by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D)

Elections

California Supreme Court retention election (2022)

See also:  California Supreme Court elections, 2022

California Supreme Court, Martin Jenkins' seat

Martin J. Jenkins was retained to the California Supreme Court on November 8, 2022 with 69.3% of the vote.

			Retention  Vote	%	Votes
		✔	Yes	69.3	5,825,582
			No	30.7	2,576,601
			Total Votes		8,402,183

---

It has been certified. Source

California Supreme Court gubernatorial appointment (2020)

See also: California Supreme Court justice vacancy (August 2020)

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) appointed Jenkins to the California Supreme Court on October 5, 2020, to replace retiring Justice Ming W. Chin. The Commission on Judicial Appointments confirmed Jenkins' appointment on November 10, 2020.

California First District Court of Appeal, Division Three (2008-2019)

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) appointed Jenkins to the Third Division of the California First District Court of Appeal on January 25, 2008, to replace retiring justice Joanne Parrilli. The Commission on Judicial Appointments confirmed Jenkins' appointment on April 4, 2008.

2014

See also: California judicial elections, 2014

Jenkins was retained to the California First District Court of Appeal with 77.6% of the vote on November 4, 2014.

California First District Court of Appeals, Division 3 2014 general election results
Candidates		Votes	Percent
Martin J. Jenkins		681,706	77.6%
Against retention		196,509	22.4%

2010

See also: California judicial elections, 2010

On November 2, 2010, Jenkins was retained to the California First District Court of Appeal with 76.4% of the vote.

California First District Court of Appeals, Division 3 2010 general election results
Candidates		Votes	Percent
Martin J. Jenkins		853,636	76.4%
Against retention		264,064	23.6%

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Martin J. Jenkins did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

United States District Court for the Northern District of California (1997-2008)

President Bill Clinton (D) nominated Jenkins to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on July 24, 1997, to a seat vacated by Eugene Lynch. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 9, 1997, and received the commission on November 12, 1997. Jenkins served on the United States District Court for the Northern District of California until his resignation on April 3, 2008.

Noteworthy cases

California v. General Motors Corp. (2007)

On September 17, 2007, Judge Martin Jenkins dismissed a lawsuit filed by the State of California against six automakers. In the underlying case, the State of California, represented by Attorney General Jerry Brown (D), sued the automakers, alleging they were liable for contributing to climate change. In his ruling, Jenkins said that it was the responsibility of lawmakers to determine how or if automakers should be held liable in such situations.

Articles:

• Washington Post, "Judge Tosses Calif Global Warming Suit," Sept. 17, 2007
• Wall Street Journal, "Judge Tosses Global Warming Suit Against Carmakers," Sept. 18, 2007
• Law 360, "California Car Pollution Suit A Political Issue: Judge," Sept. 18, 2007

State supreme court judicial selection in California

See also: Judicial selection in California

The seven justices of the California Supreme Court are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments. The state bar's Commission on Judicial Nominee Evaluation—also known as the "Jenny Commission"—is required to perform an extensive investigation on prospective appointees. The commission recommends candidates to the governor after examining their qualifications and fitness, ranking them as exceptionally well qualified, well qualified, qualified, or not qualified. The commission is composed of attorneys and public members. Although the governor is not bound to these recommendations, the Commission on Judicial Appointments can approve or veto the appointment by majority vote.

Following confirmation from the Commission on Judicial Appointments, the appointed justice is sworn into office and is subject to voter approval at the next gubernatorial election. The appointed justice must be confirmed by voters via a yes-no retention election. According to the California Constitution, the term for a supreme court justice is 12 years. If retained by the voters, the appointed justice remains in office but their term may depend on their predecessor's term. If the predecessor served part of their term before leaving office, the appointed justice would be retained to serve the remainder of their predecessor's term. This would be for either four or eight years. At the end of that term, the justice again must be confirmed by the voters at a gubernatorial election to begin a new 12-year term. If a justice has been appointed to a seat where the predecessor's term would have expired the January 1 immediately after that November gubernatorial election, then the justice would serve a full 12-year term.

Qualifications

To serve as a justice, a candidate must have practiced law for at least 10 years in California or served as a judge in California for at least 10 years.

Chief justice

The court uses the same process described above for selecting its chief justice. The governor, with commission approval, appoints a chief justice for a full 12-year term.

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state supreme courts

Vacancies are filled by gubernatorial appointment. Appointed judges are required to participate in yes-no retention elections occurring at the time of the next gubernatorial race, which is held every four years.

The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.

See also

2022 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Heart of the Primaries The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

External links

   .contact_entity {font-size: 1.5em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}
   .contact_office { margin-top: 0.3em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}
   .external_links_table { width: auto !important; }
   @media (max-width:600px) {
       .contact_entity {font-size: 1.0em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 0.5em;}
       .contact_office { font-size: 0.8 em; margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}  
   }

Search Google News for this topic

Officeholder

California Supreme Court

Website

Footnotes

California courts

---

Federal courts:

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California

State courts:

California Supreme Court • California Courts of Appeal • California Superior Courts

State resources:

Courts in California • California judicial elections • Judicial selection in California