Gov. Gavin Newsom announced three judicial appointments in the San Joaquin Valley last week.

Daniel Walters, a senior prosecutor in the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office since 2012, was appointed to the Madera County Superior Court bench. He replaces the retired Brian Austin.

Walters, a Republican, received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Ismael Rodriguez, from Visalia, will serve as a superior court judge in Kings County. Rodriguez has operated his own law office since 2013. Before that, he worked as a prosecutor in the Tulare County District Attorney’s office. He replaces the retired Michael Rienhart.

Rodriguez, a Democrat, received a Juris Doctor degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego.

Newsom elevated Jennifer Feige, who has served as Kern County’s deputy counsel since 2007, to a Kern County Superior Court judgeship. She fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Elizabet Rodriguez.

Feige, a Democrat, received a Juris Doctor degree from the Chapman University School of Law in Orange, California.

The compensation for superior court judges in California is $244,727 a year.

You can see the governor’s other March 27 judicial appointments at this link.