Gov. Jerry Brown made history yesterday as he announced the appointment of the first openly gay justice in the state’s history. Jim Humes, a 53-year-old gay man from San Francisco, will serve as associate justice of the First District Court of Appeal, Division Four.
Humes has served as executive secretary for legal affairs, administration and policy at the Office of Gov. Brown since 2011. He was chief deputy attorney general at the governor’s office from 2007 to 2011. Humes served in multiple positions at the California Department of Justice from 1993 to 2007, including chief assistant of the civil division and senior assistant attorney general of the health, education and welfare section.
Humes fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Patricia Sepulveda.
Brown also appointed out lesbian attorney Paula S. Rosenstein to the San Diego Superior Court.
Rosenstein, 52, of San Diego, has been an attorney and shareholder at Rosenstein Wilson and Dean PLC since 1997. She was a sole practitioner from 1991 to 1997, an associate attorney at Rosenstein Shpall and Associates from 1987 to 1991 and an associate attorney at Richard D. Prochazka APC in 1987. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of San Diego School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Linda B. Quinn.
