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Democracy & Voting Rights

UCLA Report Reveals Stark Latino Underrepresentation in California’s Judiciary

Contributors

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Gabriella Carmona Staff
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Aimee Benitez Aguirre Fellows
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Rodrigo Dominguez-Villegas Contributor

The findings are striking: while Latinos comprise nearly 40% of California’s population, they represent only 14.3% of the Supreme Court and 12.3% of the District Courts of Appeal.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: lppipress@luskin.ucla.edu

UCLA Report Reveals Stark Latino Underrepresentation in California’s Judiciary

LOS ANGELES (March 4, 2025) – California’s courts shape legal precedent with far-reaching consequences, influencing policies that impact millions. A new analysis by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (LPPI), “Balancing the Bench: Examining the Representation of Latinas and Latinos in the Judiciary of California,” reveals a significant lack of diversity within the state’s highest courts, emphasizing how a judiciary that reflects the backgrounds and experiences of the communities it serves is essential for fair and informed decision-making. 

Authored by Gabriella Carmona, Aimee Benitez, and Dr. Rodrigo Dominguez-Villegas, the report calls for urgent reforms to address systemic barriers and create a judiciary that reflects the diversity of the communities it serves. The findings are striking: while Latinos comprise nearly 40% of California’s population, they represent only 14.3% of the Supreme Court and 12.3% of the District Courts of Appeal. This disparity is even more pronounced for Latinas, who are entirely absent from four of the six District Courts of Appeal despite making up nearly 20% of the state’s population.

The publication highlights significant historical and systemic disparities in Latino representation within California’s judiciary. These findings emphasize the critical need for targeted reforms to address both demographic gaps and structural barriers. Among the other findings in the report:

  • Latinos have never had more than one representative on the California Supreme Court at any given time, highlighting a long-standing lack of proportional representation.
  • The Fifth District Court of Appeal, where Latinos make up over 55% of the population, has a Latino representation gap of over 35 percentage points—the largest in the state.
  • The Sixth District Court of Appeal has no Latino justices, despite serving a constituency that is about 32% Latino.
  • Limited access to critical career milestones, such as clerkships, private practice opportunities, and mentorship, hinders Latinos from entering and advancing within the legal profession.
  • These systemic challenges contribute to fewer Latinos occupying leadership roles in the judiciary. Currently, white justices hold over 57% of presiding and chief justice positions, while Latinos hold only 15.8%.

The authors argue that addressing these disparities is not merely a matter of fairness but essential for fostering public trust in California’s judicial system. The report highlights the consequences of this lack of representation, including diminished trust in the judicial system and the exclusion of diverse perspectives in decision-making processes that profoundly impact California residents. “Ultimately, a more representative judiciary is not only an ethical imperative but a practical necessity,” said Dr. Dominguez-Villegas, co-director of research at LPPI. “Diverse courts lead to better outcomes by fostering public trust and delivering decisions that reflect a broader range of lived experiences. By addressing these disparities, California has the opportunity to lead by example, showing that justice is not just a principle but a practice rooted in inclusion and equity.”

To close these gaps, the report outlines a series of actionable policy recommendations targeting both the judicial appointment process and the broader pipeline to the bench. Proposals include:  

  • Creating a Diversity Compliance Taskforce: This body would monitor and enhance diversity in judicial appointments by publishing annual demographic data, conducting equity audits, and recommending reforms to reduce implicit bias in the evaluation process.  
  • Strengthening Judicial Appointments Legislation: The report calls for amending California Government Code § 12011.5 to shift the goal from “diversity” to “equal representation” and to mandate more transparent and standardized judicial candidate vetting procedures.  
  • Expanding Mentorship and Recruitment Programs: Initiatives like the Judicial Mentor Program should receive dedicated funding to provide mentorship and resources for aspiring judges from underrepresented backgrounds.
  • Improving Access to Legal Education and Career Opportunities: The report advocates for increased financial support for law students of color, targeted clerkship programs, and expanded pathways to judicial roles, including opportunities for sitting judges to gain experience on higher courts.  
  • Enhancing Community and Bar Association Involvement: The report recommends greater coordination among bar associations to recruit and endorse diverse candidates, with a focus on districts with significant representation gaps like the Fifth and Sixth Districts.

The report underscores the urgency of these reforms, particularly as California continues to serve as a national leader in judicial decisions. While recent appointments under Governor Gavin Newsom have marked progress—53% of his appointees are people of color, and 57% of Latino justices currently on the bench were appointed during his term—systemic inequities persist. These findings align with broader trends of Latino underrepresentation in government, highlighted in LPPI’s 2022 report on gubernatorial appointments. That analysis revealed significant gaps in Latino representation on California’s state boards and commissions, underscoring systemic barriers that permeate multiple levels of governance. Together, these reports paint a comprehensive picture of the structural challenges Latinos face in accessing leadership roles across state institutions.

“Addressing the lack of Latino representation in California’s courts goes beyond rectifying disparities on today’s bench—it requires tackling the broader systemic barriers that deter Latinos and Latinas from viewing the legal profession as a viable career path,” said Carmona, a senior research analyst at LPPI and lead author of the report. “When the legal profession better reflects the diversity of our communities, we inspire the next generation of Latinos to see themselves as future lawyers and judges, ensuring that justice and the law are both representative and accessible.”

This report was made possible by the generous support of the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund.

Read and download the full report here.

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About UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute
The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute is a non-partisan research institute that seeks to inform, engage, and empower Latinos through innovative research and policy analysis. LPPI aims to promote equitable and inclusive policies that address the needs of the Latino community and advance social justice. latino.ucla.edu.