An experienced former prosecutor who is also a homegrown child of immigrants has joined the esteemed ranks of judges on the Merced County Superior Court.

Victor A. Patton

The Merced FOCUS

Judge Monika Saini Donabed took her gavel for the first time in earlier this month, following her victory in last year’s March primary, where she outpaced two opponents by garnering 63.32% of the vote.

It’s a historic moment for the court, as Donabed, 40, is the first woman of Indian American and South Asian descent to sit on the bench. She is also a Merced County native, born in Merced as a child of Indian immigrants who settled in Livingston.

She was sworn in by Judge Brian McCabe during an investiture ceremony Jan. 3 at the Hoffmeister Center in Merced.

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A Journey of Hard Work and Aspiration

During an interview with The Merced FOCUS, Donabed said she’s thankful for the community support received during the election, saying she’s carrying the hopes and aspirations of many different segments of the community.

“At the end of my investiture, I actually had a female attorney approach me and tell me how excited she is to see someone that looks like her on the bench,” Donabed said.

“I’m excited to be that (person) for so many people, but I also feel that sense of responsibility that’s going to come with that.”

Donabed’s parents Raj and Guvinder Saini immigrated roughly 45 years ago to the United States from India. The couple worked as field workers in Yuba City and eventually moved to Livingston for jobs at poultry giant Foster Farms.

She was their firstborn in a family of three children, witnessing firsthand the importance of working hard and having goals. Her parents also put a premium on getting an education.

“They put in a lot of hard labor so that I could have this privilege,” said Donabed. “I’m very proud that I was able to honor all of their sacrifice and hard work by doing this.”

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A Career Built on Public Service

A graduate of Livingston High School, Donabed graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science.

After earning her juris doctor degree from UC Davis School of Law, she worked as a prosecutor with the Merced County District Attorney’s Office from 2009 to 2014 and then the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office from 2014 to 2016.

As a deputy district attorney, Donabed took on many high profile felony cases that made headlines.

After working as a prosecutor, she became a staff attorney at Merced Superior Court from 2016 until recently.

In many ways, the past few years of Donabed’s career prepared her for her current role. In her work for the Merced Superior Court over the last eight years, she worked alongside judges as a research attorney, helping address various issues that came before their courtrooms.

The role afforded her the opportunity on occasion to sit in as a temporary judge. “I really enjoyed serving from that capacity, and it just felt like the natural next step for me to be able to continue to engage in public service, but in a more active way,” Donabed said.

As her first judicial assignment, Donabed is overseeing misdemeanor cases at Merced Superior Court.

A Commitment to Justice and Fairness

Moving forward, her goal is to approach the job from a position of humility. “This is a great responsibility, and I am a public servant,” she said.

“I want to make sure that I work hard and that I’m fair and that I’m compassionate. I want to make sure that I’m upholding the rule of law with integrity and treating everyone who’s going to come before me with dignity and respect. And I just want to ensure that justice is not a privilege for a few, but a right for all people that come to the court.”

There was no shortage of friends and family cheering for Donabed as she was sworn in. Among them was longtime friend Lt. Delray Shelton of the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, who spoke during the investiture ceremony.

Shelton, who first met Donabed nearly 20 years ago through mutual professional friends, said “his heart is full” after watching her ascend to a judgeship. Shelton said Donabed has successfully overcome numerous obstacles to achieve her dreams.

“This is just encouragement and affirmation for all boys and girls that live in America and beyond America, that if they work hard and they believe in greater, they’ll achieve greater,” Shelton said. “This is a win-win for this community and the justice system in its entirety.”

Another friend who came to support Donabed was Merced City Councilmember Sarah Boyle, who first met her at the Merced Mayor’s Ball in 2022.

Boyle said having a woman on the court who was born and raised in the community will be a definite asset.

“There are so many of us born and raised in Merced or Merced County who get the opportunity to go to other places for our education. But when we do come back here and raise families and establish a career, it is just great,” Boyle said.

Boyle added there will be generations of youth growing up in Merced County who will see Donabed’s example, and say “hey, that can be me one day.”

Donabed is now one of a few Superior Court judges of Indian descent in the Valley. Judge Sweena Pannu and Judge Sonny Sandhu both sit on the Stanislaus County Superior Court. Judge Raj Singh Badesha was appointed to Fresno County Superior Court by Judge Gavin Newsom last year.

Judge Donabed is married to husband Joseph Donabed, and they have 4-year-old twins.

The annual compensation for a Superior Court judge is $244,727, according to Amanda Toste, Merced County Superior Court executive officer.

About the Author

Victor Patton is editor-in-chief of The Merced FOCUS.