Shall Associate Justice of the Supreme Court JOSHUA GROBAN be elected to the office for the term provided by law?
California
My vote power
Retention race
Election date
November 3, 2026
About this office
- Deciding what state laws and the state constitution mean
- Setting rulings that lower state courts must follow
- Deciding major criminal and civil cases
Affects: Public Safety and Crime Control, Gun Control, Women's Reproductive Rights,
Joshua Groban
Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared · Official site
Groban is an associate justice of the Supreme Court of California. He previously served as a senior advisor to Governor Jerry Brown on judicial appointments and legal policy and practiced complex civil litigation.
Where Joshua Groban stands, based on their records
Supports
Public Safety and Crime Control (4 records), Civil Rights (5 records)
Track record
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 4 support
Authored People v. Barrett, affirming murder and prison-assault convictions and a death sentence.
June 23, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored People v. Gonzalez, affirming murder and attempted-robbery convictions and a death sentence.
December 2, 2021Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored People v. Raybon, holding that Proposition 64 did not legalize cannabis possession in state prisons.
August 12, 2021Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored People v. Miles, affirming murder and related convictions and a death sentence after rejecting jury-selection and trial-error claims.
May 28, 2020Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 5 support
Authored Los Angeles Police Protective League v. City of Los Angeles, invalidating a police-complaint criminal-warning scheme under the First Amendment.
November 10, 2025Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored People v. Schuller, applying the federal constitutional harmless-error standard to omitted imperfect-self-defense instructions.
August 17, 2023Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored People v. Brown, requiring proof of an intent to kill or cause likely-fatal injury for first-degree poison murder.
March 2, 2023Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored Robinson v. Lewis, holding that habeas gap delays up to 120 days are not substantial by themselves.
July 20, 2020Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored People v. Rodriguez, holding that a prosecutor improperly vouched for correctional officers' credibility.
May 21, 2020Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Track record — General
General · 9 records
Appeared on the November 2026 statewide ballot for retention on the California Supreme Court.
September 13, 2026
Source: elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Continued serving as an associate justice of the California Supreme Court.
September 13, 2026
Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Received the Los Angeles Times editorial board's endorsement for retention on the California Supreme Court.
October 9, 2022
Source: latimes.com · researched September 13, 2026
Appeared on the November 2022 statewide ballot for retention on the California Supreme Court.
October 1, 2022
Source: vigarchive.sos.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Was sworn in as an associate justice of the California Supreme Court.
January 3, 2019
Source: archive.gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Was unanimously confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments for the California Supreme Court.
December 21, 2018
Source: archive.gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Was nominated by Governor Jerry Brown to the California Supreme Court.
November 14, 2018
Source: archive.gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Was appointed senior advisor for policy and appointments in Governor Jerry Brown's office.
January 5, 2011
Source: archive.gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Served as legal counsel for Jerry Brown's 2010 gubernatorial campaign.
January 1, 2010
Source: archive.gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Track record — Impartiality
Impartiality · 1 favorable
Authored J.O. v. Superior Court, permitting separation-of-powers challenges to bad-faith blanket judicial disqualifications.
May 28, 2026Favorable on Impartiality
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Track record — Legal Competence
Legal Competence · 13 favorable
Authored People v. Esquivias, holding that partial habeas sentencing relief did not require a full resentencing.
August 17, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored the Tenofovir Cases, rejecting negligence liability for delaying an unapproved alternative to a nondefective prescription drug.
August 3, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored Olympic and Georgia Partners v. County of Los Angeles, allowing specified hotel revenues in a property-tax income valuation.
August 28, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored Himes v. Somatics, allowing medical-product warning causation when an informed prudent patient would have declined treatment.
June 20, 2024Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored Quishenberry v. UnitedHealthcare, holding that Medicare Part C preempted duplicative state-law elder-abuse and tort claims.
July 13, 2023Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Oversaw approximately 600 judicial appointments across California.
November 14, 2018Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: archive.gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Received awards from bar groups and legal organizations for his judicial-appointments work.
November 14, 2018Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Taught State Appellate Practice at the UCLA School of Law.
January 1, 2015Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Advised Governor Jerry Brown on judicial appointments, legal policy, and legislative issues.
January 5, 2011Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Specialized in complex civil litigation involving antitrust, internal investigations, and intellectual property.
January 1, 2005Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Joined Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP as an attorney.
January 1, 2005Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: archive.gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Practiced law at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.
January 1, 1999Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: archive.gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Clerked for Judge William C. Conner of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
January 1, 1998Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: archive.gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Source: elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov