California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday four judicial appointments to serve in the San Diego County Superior Court, all registered Democrats.
Each judicial appointment for the San Diego County Superior will be compensated $225,074 a year. They have served in several areas of law as a city attorney, deputy public defender, and two civil litigation attorneys.
According to Newsom’s office, each will fill the vacancies created by the retirement of Judge Richard E.L. Strauss, Judge Sharon B. Majors-Lewis, Judge Amalia L. Meza, and Judge Margo Lewis Hoy.
Charles E. Bell Jr., 40, has served as the City Attorney at the City of National City, since 2020. He served as an Assistant City Attorney at the San Luis Obispo City Attorney’s Office from 2019 to 2020.
The San Diego resident has served as Chief Deputy City Attorney and Deputy City Attorney at the San Diego City Attorney’s Office from 2014 to 2019. Prior to that, he worked at McCarthy & Holthus LLP as a Senior Civil Litigation Associate and Office Manager from 2008 to 2014.
Bell earned a Juris Doctor degree from the California Western School of Law.
Adelaida Lopez, 45, of San Marcos, served as a Deputy Public Defender III at the County of San Diego, Office of the Primary Public Defender since 2006.
Lopez earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
Peter A. Lynch, 62, has been Vice Chair, Office Managing Partner at Cozen O’Connor since 1988.
The San Diego resident worked at Frank & Freedus as an Associate from 1987 to 1988 and at USMC Legal Services Support Detachment Yuma as Defense Counsel, Prosecutor, and Legal Assistance Officer from 1985 to 1987.
He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Southern Illinois University School of Law.
​​Christopher S. Morris, 57, of San Diego, has been a Sole Practitioner since 2004.
He worked at Aguirre and Severson as a Partner from 2008 to 2013. Morris worked at the San Diego City Attorney’s Office in several roles, as Assistant City Attorney Head of Criminal Division from 2004 to 2007, Chief Deputy City Attorney from 2000 to 2003, Deputy City Attorney for Civil Litigation from 1996 to 1999, Deputy City Attorney, Criminal Division from 1993 to 1994, and as Deputy City Attorney, Trial Unit from 1992 to 1993.
Morris worked at Higgs, Fletcher, and Mack as an Associate in 1995.
He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Brigham Young University Law School.
