Endorsement: Maria Ghobadi for Superior Court Office No. 64

Three candidates are running for the open Los Angeles County Superior Court judgeship in Office No. 64, but there’s really only one serious choice for the job.

Maria Ghobadi, rated “Well Qualified” by the Los Angeles County Bar Association, has the experience, sensibilities and temperament one would hope to see from someone on the bench.

Like many Californians and Angelenos, Ghobadi has an immigrant background that helped shape her view of the world.

“As an immigrant who fled Iran during the Revolution, my family came to this country with nothing,” she told us. “I understand firsthand the importance of representation and the strength that diversity brings to our communities. I bring both professional experience and lived perspective to my work, grounded in a commitment to fairness and inclusion.”

She cites as one of her judicial heroes Shirin Ebadi, one of the first female judges in Iran who was removed as a judge by the regime. Nevertheless, she continued to work as a lawyer, while promoting human rights and reform in the face of threats and intimidation. She was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her efforts. “Her courage, resilience, and dedication to the rule of law have been a lifelong inspiration to me and played a meaningful role in my decision to pursue a career in law,” Ghobadi told us.

Professionally, she has spent nearly two decades as a prosecutor in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, “advocating for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and homicide.” This experience has prepared her well for the responsibilities of a judge.

“My years as a career prosecutor handling complex and high-stakes criminal cases, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and homicide cases, have reinforced the importance of preparation, professionalism, and thoughtful listening,” she told us. “I also understand the profound impact court decisions have on victims, defendants, families, and the broader community.”

As a judge, she strives “to ensure the outcomes in the cases are measured and balanced taking into account all aspects of the parties and the facts of a case” and “to prevent unnecessary delays to prevent cases and defendants from languishing in the system.”

Her professionalism certainly was on display in her recent interview with columnist Rafael Perez, who observed, “Ghobadi is extraordinarily careful in what she expresses, as you would expect from someone with the demeanor of a judge.”

It’s no wonder both the Los Angeles County Democratic and Republican parties have backed her, as have organizations as varied as the Stonewall Democratic Club and the Los Angeles Association of Deputy District Attorneys.

As Perez observed from his interview with Haymon, “Haymon is very willing to make disturbing accusations about the internal motivations of others and even claim that transcripts of her courtroom exchanges were falsified.”

This observation is consistent with our own discussions with public defenders and prosecutors alike, and corresponds to the on-the-record statements of judges to the Metropolitan News-Enterprise.

This includes the statements of one judge who opined, "My opinion is that Rhonda Haymon is absolutely not suitable for the bench based on her demeanor and her tardiness, among many other things.”

While Haymon may be an outspoken advocate for her clients, it doesn’t seem obvious to us she would be a great judge.

The same goes for Amador, about whom we know only from his minimalist campaign website, which simply explains, “I promise to do a good job and serve the community in a neutral and unbiased manner.” Considering he’s “Not Qualified” for the job, we see no reason to take that gamble either.

Fortunately, Angelenos don’t need to gamble with the courts. A vote for Ghobadi is a vote for competence and professionalism. She’s the obvious vote here. Angelenos should use their judgment wisely and vote for Maria Ghobadi.

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This story was originally published May 17, 2026 at 3:45 PM.