California Gov. Gavin Newsom Monday announced the nomination of Martin Jenkins to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of California. Previously a Justice of the California Court of Appeal for the First District, located in San Francisco, and a former United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Justice Jenkins most recently served as the Judicial Appointments Secretary for Governor Newsom.
If confirmed by the California Commission on Judicial Appointments, Jenkins will be the first openly gay man to serve on the California Supreme Court.
Lambda Legal welcomes and celebrates the appointment of Justice Martin Jenkins to the California Supreme Court. At this time when the progress of the LGBTQ+ community is so clearly threatened by regressive forces seeking to roll back progress which, through intersectionality, doubly challenges black and other communities of color, this appointment is a recognition of the talent residing within the community and affirms the right of all to participate fully at all levels of our democracy.