Governor Appoints New Judges
to Riverside County
Contact: Marita C. Ford, Public Information Officer
Release Date: September 15, 2021
Riverside County:
On September 3, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointments of Sean P.
Crandell, Joshua A. Knight and Marie Elena Wood to vacant judgeships in the Superior Court of
California, County of Riverside.
Sean P. Crandell, 48, of Temecula, has served as a Senior Deputy District Attorney at the Riverside
County District Attorney’s Office since 2014, where he has served in several positions since 1996,
including Deputy District Attorney and Law Clerk. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the
University of San Diego School of Law. He fills the vacancy of a new position created on September
24, 2019.
Joshua A. Knight, 44, of Murrieta, has served as an Attorney at the Riverside County Public
Defender’s Office since 2007. He served as an Attorney at the Kern County Public Defender’s
Office from 2005 to 2007. Mr. Knight earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Oregon
School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Rebecca L. Dugan.
Marie Elena Wood, 45, of Murrieta, has been a Shareholder at Reid & Hellyer APC since 2021,
where she was an Associate from 2016 to 2020. She was a Sole Practitioner from 2015 to 2016
and a Partner at James & Wood LLP from 2014 to 2015. Ms. Wood was an Associate at Fabozzi &
Miller APC from 2010 to 2014. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Thomas Jefferson School
of Law. Ms. Wood fills the vacancy of a new position created on September 24, 2019.
A state Judicial Needs Assessment has found that the Riverside Superior Court is in dire need of
judgeships to help process the growing caseloads in its communities. The filling of these vacancies
by Mr. Crandell, Mr. Knight and Ms. Wood will greatly assist the Court’s goal in continuing to
provide access to justice for court litigants.
Electronic version available at:
www.riverside.courts.ca.gov under Media Center.
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