I thought I'd try to create a PSA for this election on Judges
In general, there doesn't seem to be much readily accessible available information on judges. I tried Wikipedia, but that's only useful for a couple of justices. I'm certainly not qualified to read an opinion and use that to make heads or tails of that persons jurisprudence. That said, because it's on the ballot, that makes it a political choice. I thought this would be easier to provide some detail and background,
but I didn't really succeed.
If you haven't tried Voter's Edge, that seems pretty convenient and I have always trusted the League of Women Voters. You enter your address and zip-code and they provide links to details about everything on your ballot. Unfortunately, if any information was provided by the justice, it is pretty generic. I think they all say: I'll be fair, I will treat everyone equally and I will uphold the rule of law. Ballotpedia has prior election results and other details I thought were useful but may be more politically oriented than you prefer (trending right, I think).
Below is what appealed to me. If any of my friends in the profession would like to offer tips on how they inform themselves about these candidates, I'd be grateful to hear more...
Here's the list for me, in Oakland. (Here is where I should put my legal disclaimer about errors and omissions!)
CA Supreme Court
Carol Corrigan -- (Wikipedia, Ballotpedia, VotersEdge-No Information Provided (NIP)) -- Appointed to the Calif. Supreme Court by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2005. Authored majority opinion banning plastic bags in Manhattan Beach. Wrote dissenting opinion on same-sex marriage in "re Marriage Cases".
Leondra Kruger -- (Wikipedia, Ballotpedia, VotersEdge-NIP) -- Appointed by Jerry Brown in 2014. Wikipedia doesn't have much opinion detail on her.
1st District Court of Appeal, Division 1
James (Jim) Humes -- (Wikipedia, Ballotpedia, VotersEdge) -- Presiding Justice, Appointed by Jerry Brown in 2012. First openly gay appellate judge in California history.
Sandra Margulies -- (Ballotpedia, Voters Edge) -- Associate Justice -- Appointed by Gray Davis in 2002.
1st District Court of Appeal, Division 2
James A Richman (Ballotpedia, Voters Edge) -- Associate Justice -- Appointed by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006.
Marla J Miller (Ballotpedia link, Voters Edge) -- Associate Justice -- Appointed by Jerry Brown in 2014.
1st District Court of Appeal, Division 3
Peter John Siggins -- (Ballotpedia, Voters Edge) -- Presiding Justice, Appointed by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006.
1st District Court of Appeal, Division 4
Jon B Streeter -- (Ballotpedia, Voters Edge-NIP) -- Presiding Justice, Appointed by Jerry Brown in 2014.
Alison M Tucher -- (Ballotpedia, Voters Edge) -- Associate Justice, Appointed by Jerry Brown in 2018.
1st District Court of Appeal, Division 5
Barbara JR Jones -- (Ballotpedia, Voters Edge) -- Presiding Judge. Appointed by Pete Wilson (?) in 1996. First woman to serve as presiding justice in First District.