Los Angeles County, California

LA County Superior Court Judge, Office No. 131

2 candidates are tracked for LA County Superior Court Judge, Office No. 131, headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Donna Tryfman and David Ross. Candidate information follows official Los Angeles County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Superior Court judgeships are elected county-wide. This is a November runoff between the June primary's top two finishers.

What this office does

Trial court judge. A trial judge presides over criminal and civil cases at the first level: bail and pleas, motions, trials, sentencing and civil judgments. Judges are bound by state law and appellate precedent and are barred by judicial conduct rules from campaigning on how they would rule. Most states elect trial judges on a nonpartisan ballot; the term and the courts a judge may sit on vary by state.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels.

California › Los Angeles County › LA County Superior Court Judge, Office No. 131

Donna Tryfman

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Fairness and due process
Judicial experience and competence
Ethical leadership on the bench

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Tryfman is a trial attorney with more than 30 years of experience who serves in the Major Cases Unit of the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office handling homicide and capital litigation, per the campaign site. A past president of the Public Defenders Association and University of La Verne law graduate, Tryfman is running for Los Angeles Superior Court, Office 131, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

David Ross

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Judicial accessibility and respect for all parties
Temperament shaped by extensive courtroom experience
Representing those who cannot afford legal counsel

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Ross has spent 30 years as a Deputy Public Defender in Riverside County and a Deputy Alternate Public Defender in Los Angeles County, per the campaign site. Earlier in a career that included ten years as a television news reporter and documentary producer, Ross also served as a legislative aide on Capitol Hill, per the campaign site. Ross has additionally worked as a solo civil law practitioner, an adjunct law school professor, and a judge pro tem for Los Angeles County, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for LA County Superior Court Judge, Office No. 131 in 2026?

When is the LA County Superior Court Judge, Office No. 131 election in California?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for California are on the California election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Los Angeles County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Los Angeles County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official California election office, or see the full Los Angeles County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Los Angeles County ballot

41 tracked races in Los Angeles County, California. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Los Angeles Mayor Los Angeles City Council District 3 Los Angeles City Council District 9 See all 41 Los Angeles County races

Candidate profiles

Donna Tryfman, full profile David Ross, full profile Official California election office