California: SC Chief Justice Tani Sakauye Stepping Down | Gov. Gavin Newsom Reacts to Her Exit

After 12 years in her office, California Chief Justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye is stepping down from her post and will not seek reelection.

Cantil-Sakauye will be concluding her term of office on the California Supreme Court at the start of the year on Jan. 1, 2023.

Throughout her career, Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye was a fierce advocate for bail reform and court and bar funding, among many other causes.

CJ Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye Steps Down as Chief Justice

Associated Press reports that current California Chief Justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye will be stepping down from her office and would not be seeking reelection in the coming 2022 Midterm reelections.

Speaking to the press recently, the 62-year-old chief justice revealed that she is "anxious" about her big decision to step down.

"I've accomplished much and started the ball rolling on many things that are of interest to us as a (judicial) branch," she says.

Appointed by then-Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye became the first Filipino-American Chief Justice to serve in the Supreme Court and the second woman to head the high court since Rose Elizabeth Bird's removal in 1986.

Sakauye's recent decision to step down came about as the period for the filing of candidacy ends soon. The California Supreme Court Elections will be held on Nov. 8, 2022, through a retention election.

California Supreme Court Elections 2022

Supposedly, Chief Justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye could be up for retention reelections in November 2022. But her decision to step down leaves the State of California to choose among four others.

Justice Martin Jenkins, marked as the first openly gay Black man on the California Supreme Court, is attempting to renew his 12-year term.

Justice Patricia Guerrero, the first Latina to serve on the state's high court, is also up for reelection this November.

Both Jenkins and Guerrero were appointed by incumbent California Governor Gavin Newsom in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Meanwhile, Justice Joshua Groban and Justice Goodwin Liu are also seeking "yes" and "no" reelections from the people of California.

The current Chief Justice is among the two last justices in the California Supreme Court appointed by a Republican Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The other one is Associate Supreme Court Justice Carol Corrigan.

With Cantil-Sakauye's exit, incumbent Governor Gavin Newsom will now have the chance to pick his first-ever Chief Justice.

California Governor Gavin Newsom Reacts to SC Chief Justice Sakauye's Decision

In a statement released on his website, California Governor Gavin Newsom supported California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye's decision to step down, even lauding her accomplishments in court.

"Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye has been a leading voice for bail reform, calling out its disproportionate impacts on low-income people, and has raised awareness about the unfair financial hardships caused by fines and fees on those unable to afford them," Newsom says.

Throughout her term as California's Supreme Court Justice, Tani Sakauye has been prominent in her efforts on the state's bail reform policies, court and bar funding, and her initiative, "Power of Democracy," in raising civil discourse among students and the education sector.

In her recent statements, incumbent Chief Justice Sakauye affirmed that there will be "no politics" in her future, despite not yet outlining what her future will be after stepping down from the highest seat on the state's court.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Ivan Korrs

WATCH: California Chief Justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye won't seek a second 12-year term - From KCRA News