Associate Justice, Court of Appeal, First District, Division One: Shall Associate Justice CHARLES A. SMILEY be elected to the office for the term provided by law?
Source: electionresults.sos.ca.gov
What does this office do?
- 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, Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties, Gun Control,
Charles A. Smiley
Nonpartisan · Incumbent · Official site
Smiley is an associate justice in Division One of California's First District Court of Appeal. He previously served 17 years as an Alameda County judicial officer, including as presiding judge, and worked as a public defender.
Where Charles A. Smiley stands, based on their records
Supports
Public Safety and Crime Control (1 record), Gun Control (1 record)
Track record
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 1 support
Joined People v. McCowan, upholding California's firearm licensing scheme and assault-weapon and large-capacity-magazine convictions.
January 13, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: law.justia.com
Track record — Gun Control
Gun Control · 1 support
Joined People v. McCowan, upholding California's firearm licensing scheme and assault-weapon and large-capacity-magazine convictions.
January 13, 2026Supports Gun Control
Source: law.justia.com
Track record — General
General · 11 records
Joined Simerley v. Golden Gate Bridge District, rejecting loss-of-consortium recovery under maritime law.
August 11, 2026
Source: law.justia.com
Joined Linderoth v. Relola, affirming an arbitration award after rejecting fraud and public-policy challenges.
July 10, 2026
Source: law.justia.com
Joined Gibbs v. Humboldt County, reviving pension-record and negligence claims by a longtime public employee.
May 13, 2026
Source: law.justia.com
Joined Myres v. CalPERS, reversing pension forfeiture because off-duty insurance fraud did not arise from official duties.
December 26, 2025
Source: law.justia.com
Received an Earl Warren American Inn of Court endorsement letter supporting his appellate appointment.
February 19, 2025
Source: earlwarreninn.org
Governor Gavin Newsom nominated him to the First District Court of Appeal, Division One.
November 21, 2024
Source: gov.ca.gov
Served as presiding judge of the Alameda County Superior Court during 2022 and 2023.
January 1, 2022
Source: uclawsf.edu
Ordered thousands of marijuana convictions reduced or dismissed and sealed cases reduced to infractions under Proposition 64.
May 1, 2020
Source: pleasantonweekly.com
Served as assistant presiding judge of the Alameda County Superior Court.
January 1, 2020
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Served on the statewide Commission on the Future of California's Court System.
January 1, 2014
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Governor Jerry Brown appointed him to the Alameda County Superior Court.
February 1, 2012
Source: archive.gov.ca.gov
Track record — Impartiality
Impartiality · 2 favorable
Co-chaired the Judicial Council's Racial Justice, Equity, and Inclusion Subcommittee.
August 15, 2024Favorable on Impartiality
Source: courts.ca.gov
Joined California's judicial-officer training faculty for bias and ethics.
January 1, 2016Favorable on Impartiality
Source: nationalpress.org
Track record — Legal Competence
Legal Competence · 22 favorable
Joined Simerley v. Golden Gate Bridge District, rejecting loss-of-consortium recovery under maritime law.
August 11, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Authored In re L.H., affirming termination of parental rights after finding no beneficial-relationship exception.
July 23, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Joined Linderoth v. Relola, affirming an arbitration award after rejecting fraud and public-policy challenges.
July 10, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Authored O'Hanlan v. Dignity Health, upholding a hospital's revocation of clinical privileges after peer review.
July 6, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Joined In re J.A.-M., reversing juvenile orders entered without adequate notice to the father.
June 30, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Joined Gibbs v. Humboldt County, reviving pension-record and negligence claims by a longtime public employee.
May 13, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Joined Laliberte v. Kellermeyer, refusing to enforce employment arbitration agreements permeated by unconscionability.
May 11, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Authored People v. Uceda, reversing a shooting conviction for omitted lesser-offense instructions while affirming murder.
March 5, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Authored People v. Richards, upholding motel restitution as economic loss caused by assault and false imprisonment.
February 27, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Joined People v. McCowan, upholding California's firearm licensing scheme and assault-weapon and large-capacity-magazine convictions.
January 13, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Joined Myres v. CalPERS, reversing pension forfeiture because off-duty insurance fraud did not arise from official duties.
December 26, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Joined Doe v. Kachru, reviving a medical-battery claim involving a vacuum-assisted delivery performed over the patient's objection.
October 13, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Joined Wing Inflatables v. Lloyd's, preserving an appeal because electronic service lacked a self-contained certificate date.
July 21, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Won unanimous confirmation as an associate justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division One.
February 14, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: newsroom.courts.ca.gov
Supervised Alameda County's collaborative, treatment, and diversion courts.
July 1, 2019Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Led Alameda County's juvenile courts as presiding judge from 2016 through 2019.
January 1, 2016Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: nationalpress.org
Joined California's judicial-officer training faculty for bias and ethics.
January 1, 2016Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: nationalpress.org
Served on the statewide Commission on the Future of California's Court System.
January 1, 2014Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Presided over family, restraining-order, traffic, and small-claims matters as a court commissioner.
January 1, 2007Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: nationalpress.org
Alameda County judges selected him as a Superior Court commissioner.
January 1, 2007Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: nationalpress.org
Handled appeals and supervised a branch office in the Alameda County Public Defender's Office.
January 1, 2000Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Represented indigent clients as an Alameda County deputy public defender from 1997 through 2007.
January 1, 1997Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Source: elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov