Jonathan RennerIncumbent

Candidate for Court of Appeal Justice, California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, Seat 8

Jonathan K. Renner grew up in Nevada County, California. He graduated from Nevada Union High School. He earned a B.A. from the University of California, Davis. He earned a J.D. from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. He began his career as an associate at two law firms in Sacramento. He then joined the California Department of Justice as a Deputy Attorney General. There, he worked on cases about how state government runs and what power state officials have. Later, he was picked to lead the department's Government Law Section, as Senior Assistant Attorney General. After that, he served as Legal Affairs Secretary to Gov. Jerry Brown. In that role, he gave advice to the Governor and to senior officials in the administration. He also oversaw the defense of major lawsuits filed against the administration. Gov. Brown put his name up for the Third District Court of Appeal on July 25, 2014. That seat had come open when Tani Cantil-Sakauye moved up to the California Supreme Court. The Commission on Judicial Appointments confirmed him on August 28, 2014. Voters chose to keep him in November 2014, for a term that began with his oath of office on January 5, 2015. That term runs until January 3, 2027. On the November 3, 2026 ballot, he faces a nonpartisan retention vote. If most voters mark yes, he would get a new 12-year term on the court.

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