Wilson Nominates 2 for Court of Appeal

Gov. Pete Wilson, in his first judicial selections since taking office in January, on Tuesday nominated an appellate justice and a court research attorney to posts on the state Court of Appeal here.

Associate Justice Gary E. Strankman of El Cerrito was appointed presiding justice of Division 1 of the appellate court, replacing Justice John T. Racanelli, who retired.

Wilson named Kathryn (Kay) Mickle Werdegar of Ross, senior attorney to Justice Edward A. Panelli of the state Supreme Court, to fill the post on the appeal court here vacated by Strankman.

The nominations, which are subject to confirmation by the state Judicial Appointments Commission, are to fill the first of about three dozen vacancies among California’s 1,555 judgeships.

Delay in filling the openings had caused some concern in judicial circles, particularly in rural areas where a single vacancy can have significant impact on court operations. An aide to the governor noted that Wilson has been preoccupied with resolving the state’s $14-billion budget deficit and other pressing matters such as effects of the drought and the winter freeze.

Additional delay is created by the requirement that applications to judgeships made during the Gov. George Deukmejian Administration be formally renewed to be considered by Wilson. His selections, in turn, must be evaluated by a special California State Bar commission.

Wilson has yet to name a list of candidates to succeed Supreme Court Justice Allen E. Broussard, who is set to retire at the end of August. That list would be reviewed by the State Bar commission, after which the governor would choose a nominee.

The aide said he could not say when Broussard’s successor would be selected. “Obviously the search for a Supreme Court justice is a very deliberate process,” said James Lee, deputy press secretary. “The governor really wants to make sure this is a quality appointment.”

Strankman was named to the Court of Appeal in 1988 by Deukmejian. Previously, he had served as a Superior Court judge in Contra Costa County, a chief assistant district attorney and a staff attorney for Contra Costa Legal Services.

Werdegar lacks judicial experience, but among other things, was first in her graduating class at George Washington University School of Law in 1962. Before joining Panelli’s staff, she served as a staff attorney on the Court of Appeal.

Both posts pay $113,632 a year.