Governor Newsom announces three new appointments to Central Coast Superior Courts
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Governor Newsom announced the appointment of 17 Superior Court Judges on Friday, Jul. 28 including three to the Central Coast region.
Two of those appointments are to the Superior Court of San Luis Obispo County and one to the Superior Court of Ventura County.
Judge Michael Kelley of San Luis Obispo County served as a judge at the Los Angles County Superior Court since 2018. Prior to his term on the bench, Judge Kelley was a partner at Sidley Austin LLC from 1987 to 2018 and was an associate at Kadison, Pfaelzer, Woodard, Quinn and Rossi from 1979 to 1986 before making partner at the firm in 1986. Judge Kelley earned his Juris Doctorate from Yale Law School.
Crystal Tindell Seiler of San Luis Obispo County has served as a Deputy District Attorney in San Luis Obispo County since 2021 and served in the same capacity at the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office from 2011 to 2017. Seiler served a clerk for Judge Frederick H. Weisberg at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia from 2008 to 2009.
Seiler earned her Juris Doctorate from Stanford Law School in 2008 after earning her Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Political Science in 2005. Seiler is also a graduate of Templeton High School.
“I am thrilled for Deputy District Attorney Crystal Seiler on her appointment to the Superior Court,” said San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow. “She is widely respected and has earned an outstanding reputation from among her peers, the defense bar, and judicial officers. Ms. Seiler’s departure from our office will leave a large impact, but in this important new role as Judge she will continue to serve our community with excellence.”
Marine Dermadzhyan of Ventura has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Ventura County Superior Court. Dermadzhyan has served in the Ventura County District Attorney's Office as a Deputy District Attorney since 2014 and has been an adjunct Professor at the Ventura College of Law since 2022.
Dermadzhyan previously served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Tulare County District Attorney's Office from 2013 to 2014 and as a clerk at the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office from 2012 to 2013. She earned a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Lamar University and a Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School.
“Marine has the temperament, experience and intellect to serve as an outstanding judge on behalf of Ventura County and the cause of justice,” said Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. “I want to thank the Governor and his staff for appointing Marine and for selecting a member of the District Attorney’s office to fill the judicial vacancy.”
