Mark W. SnaufferIncumbent

Candidate for Court of Appeal Justice, California Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District, Seat 9

Mark W. Snauffer is an Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Fifth District. That court sits in Fresno. He was a Fresno-area lawyer for more than two decades before he took the bench. He earned a B.A. from UC Berkeley. He earned a J.D. from the UCLA School of Law. He was an associate at McCormick, Barstow, Sheppard, Wayte and Carruth from 1977 to 1980. He was an associate at Hefner, Stark and Marois from 1980 to 1982. He was a partner at the Fresno firm Baker, Manock and Jensen from 1982 to 2000. He joined the Fresno County Superior Court in 2000. He served as a trial judge there for 18 years. On June 27, 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown appointed him to the Fifth District Court of Appeal. The Commission on Judicial Appointments confirmed him in 2018. Voters retained him in the November 6, 2018 general election. Under California's rules, Court of Appeal justices face periodic retention votes at governor's races. These votes are nonpartisan and yes-or-no. Snauffer is on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Voters will decide if he stays on the court. There is no opposing candidate. As of August 2026, no group had formed to back or oppose his retention.

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