Kelli M. Evans
CA · Associate Justice, Supreme Court of California
Evans is an associate justice of the Supreme Court of California. She previously served on the Alameda County Superior Court and held legal and civil-rights roles in the Governor's Office and California Department of Justice.
Where Kelli M. Evans stands, based on their records
Supports
Public Safety and Crime Control (5 records), Election Integrity (1 record), Civil Rights (13 records)
Campaign finance information not available
Track record
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 5 support
Authored People v. Superior Court (Guevara), requiring a Three Strikes public-safety determination during qualifying Senate Bill 483 resentencing.
October 9, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored People v. Choyce, affirming three murder convictions and death judgments while correcting firearm-enhancement terms.
July 21, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Managed criminal-diversion calendars as an Alameda County Superior Court judge.
January 1, 2021Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: horvitzlevy.com · researched September 13, 2026
Became special assistant to the California attorney general.
January 1, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Served as an assistant public defender in Sacramento County.
January 1, 1995Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Track record — Election Integrity
Election Integrity · 1 support
Authored Pico Neighborhood Association v. City of Santa Monica, requiring a totality-of-circumstances inquiry in California Voting Rights Act vote-dilution cases.
August 24, 2023Supports Election Integrity
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 13 support
Served on the California Commission on Access to Justice.
September 13, 2026Supports Civil Rights
Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Authored People v. Lopez, rejecting a categorical procedural bar to murder resentencing claims based on imputed-malice instructions not challenged on direct appeal.
April 30, 2026Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored People v. Emanuel, finding insufficient evidence of reckless indifference and ordering felony-murder resentencing and vacatur of the murder conviction.
June 2, 2025Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored People v. Collins, reversing a second-degree murder conviction and defining the knowledge required for implied-malice liability based on failure to protect a child.
January 6, 2025Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored Bailey v. San Francisco District Attorney's Office, holding that a single severe racial epithet and obstruction of a harassment complaint can support workplace claims.
July 29, 2024Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored People v. Lamb, reversing gang convictions and findings under Assembly Bill 333 and vacating the death judgment while otherwise affirming.
July 11, 2024Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Worked on criminal-justice, public-safety, and civil-rights law and policy for the California attorney general.
January 1, 2017Supports Civil Rights
Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Served as associate director of the ACLU of Northern California.
January 1, 2010Supports Civil Rights
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Became a partner at Independent Assessment and Monitoring LLP.
January 1, 2006Supports Civil Rights
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Served on a federal court-appointed monitoring team for the Cleveland Police Department.
January 1, 2006Supports Civil Rights
Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Served on a federal court-appointed monitoring team overseeing Oakland Police Department reforms.
January 1, 2006Supports Civil Rights
Source: horvitzlevy.com · researched September 13, 2026
Served as a senior trial attorney in the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.
January 1, 1998Supports Civil Rights
Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Worked as an attorney for the ACLU of Northern California.
January 1, 1995Supports Civil Rights
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Track record — General
General · 7 records
Served as an associate justice of the California Supreme Court.
September 13, 2026
Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Appeared on the November 2026 ballot for retention as a California Supreme Court associate justice.
September 13, 2026
Source: elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Was sworn in as an associate justice of the California Supreme Court.
January 2, 2023
Source: newsroom.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Was unanimously confirmed as an associate justice of the California Supreme Court by the Commission on Judicial Appointments.
November 10, 2022
Source: newsroom.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Was selected by Governor Gavin Newsom for the California Supreme Court vacancy created by Justice Patricia Guerrero's elevation.
August 10, 2022
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Received a public endorsement of her Supreme Court selection from UC Davis School of Law Dean Kevin Johnson.
August 10, 2022
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Was appointed to the Alameda County Superior Court.
January 1, 2021
Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Track record — Legal Competence
Legal Competence · 8 favorable
Authored Ruelas v. County of Alameda, holding that unpaid pretrial detainees working for a private jail contractor lacked state minimum-wage and overtime claims.
April 22, 2024Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored California Medical Association v. Aetna, holding that mission-related resource diversion can give an organization standing under the unfair competition law.
July 17, 2023Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Received a well-qualified rating from the Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation for the California Supreme Court.
October 21, 2022Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: horvitzlevy.com · researched September 13, 2026
Handled small-claims and civil-harassment matters on the Alameda County Superior Court.
January 1, 2021Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: horvitzlevy.com · researched September 13, 2026
Served as chief deputy legal affairs secretary in Governor Gavin Newsom's office.
January 1, 2019Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Advised the governor and executive agencies on legal, policy, and legislative issues.
January 1, 2019Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Served as senior director for administration of justice at the State Bar of California.
January 1, 2014Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Worked as an associate at Relman and Associates.
January 1, 2001Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Track record — Candidate Ethics
Candidate Ethics · 1 record
Authored In re Spielbauer, ordering restitution to a nonclient harmed by attorney misconduct while adopting the recommended suspension and probation.
July 16, 2026
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Retention question · November 3, 2026
Profile last researched September 12, 2026.