Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Appoints UC Hastings Alumni to Judgeships

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently appointed seven UC Hastings alums to judgeships throughout California.

Jacqueline C. Jackson '95 was named to the Riverside County Superior Court; Elizabeth Ufkes Olivera '85 to the Colusa County Superior Court; Peter K. Ottenweller '80 to the Sonoma County Superior Court; Alexander R. Martinez '95 to the San Bernardino County Superior Court and Donald J. Ayoob ‘81 to the San Mateo Superior Court. The governor also appointed Brad R. Hill ‘83 as presiding justice and Donald R. Franson Jr. ‘78 as an associate justice for the Fifth District Court of Appeal.

Jackson has served as a deputy district attorney for Riverside County since 2006 and previously served as a Los Angeles County prosecutor from 1996 to 2006. She earned her B.A. degree from UCLA.

Olivera has been a partner at Kelleher and Olivera since 1993 and has also served as a contract attorney for the Colusa County Department of Child Support Services since 2000. Previously, she was a subcontract attorney for Leo Steidlmayer, a Colusa County public defender, from 1998 to 2003. She also was an associate at the firm of Marshall Burghardt and Kelleher, as well as the firm of Turner and Sullivan. Olivera received her B.A. from UC San Diego and her M.S. from Cornell University.

Ottenweller has had his own law practice since 1991. Previously, he was a partner at the firm of James, Gack and Freeman from 1984 to 1991 and served as a deputy public defender in San Francisco from 1982 to 1984. Ottenweller received his B.A. from New College of California.

Martinez has served as a deputy district attorney in San Bernardino County since 1998. From 1996 to 1997, he was an associate at the firm of Tuverson and Hillyard. Martinez received his B.A. from UC Irvine.  

Ayoob has served as chief assistant state public defender for the Office of the State Public Defender since 2002. Previously, he served as a deputy state public defender from 1988 to 2002, and as a deputy public defender in Orange County from 1982 to 1987. He received his Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Sociology with distinction in general scholarship from UC Berkeley.

Hill has served as an associate justice for the Fifth District Court of Appeal since 2006. He also served as a judge for the Fresno County Superior Court from 1998 to 2006 and the Fresno County Municipal Court from 1991 to 1998. From 1983 to 1991 Hill was an associate, then partner, at the firm of McCormick, Barstow, Sheppard, Wayte and Carruth. He received his B.A. and M.B.A. from California State University, Fresno.

Franson has served as a Fresno County Superior Court judge since 2005. From 1994 to 2005 he was a shareholder for Sagaser, Franson and Jones and from 1991 to 1994 served as an attorney and shareholder at the firm of Jory, Peterson and Sagaser. Previously, Franson served as legal counsel and executive vice president for Producers Cotton Oil Company from 1988 to 1991. He was also an attorney for the firm of Miles, Sears and Eanni from 1983 to 1987, had his own law practice from 1981 to 1982 and served as a deputy district attorney in Fresno County from 1978 to 1980. Franson received his B.A. from UC Berkeley.