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Two judges retiring, leaving seats open

Commissioner, lawyer in running for positions

BY STEVEN MAYER, Californian staff writer
e-mail: smayer@bakersfield.com | Thursday, Feb 7 2008 10:10 PM

Last Updated: Thursday, Feb 7 2008 10:18 PM

Two long-serving Kern County Superior Court judges have opted not to run for re-election on the June 3 ballot.

Meanwhile, one attorney and one court commissioner have filed to run for those open seats.

According to county election records, Clarence Westra Jr. and H.A. "Skip" Staley did not declare their intention to run before 5 p.m. Wednesday, the deadline for incumbents.

Westra, 62, has served on the bench in Kern County since 1983. Staley, 59, has served since 1982.

Vying for Westra's judgeship is Charles "Chip" Brehmer, 41, an attorney in Kern County for more than 15 years.

"I was encouraged to run by people I respect and whose opinions I value," Brehmer said Thursday.

One of those supporters is Westra, Brehmer said. Westra was one of several individuals who signed Brehmer's in-lieu petition.

Candidates for judgeships may submit a petition containing signatures of registered voters in lieu of paying all or a portion of the filing fee, which is nearly $1,800.

Running for Staley's seat is Larry Errea, 62, an attorney in Bakersfield for some 30 years before he became a commissioner for Kern County Superior Court.

Like judges, commissioners wear robes and hear cases, but abide by certain limits, Errea said.

"I've been a commissioner for a year and a half," he added. "I enjoy it and felt I'd like to be a judge."

Errea said his family has been in Kern for eight generations and serving the community is important to him.

Judges serve six-year terms. Those who filed declarations of intent to run in June are Robert Anspach; Michael Bush; Stephen Gildner; John Oglesby (Mojave); William Palmer; Catherine Purcell (Ridgecrest); Jon Steubbe; and Kenneth Twisselman II.

Non-incumbents who wish to run for a judgeship have until 5 p.m. Monday to file a declaration of intention, according to information provided by the Kern County elections office.

Judges are paid $171,648 a year. Normally a judge earns 75 percent of his pay when he retires after 20 years.

Californian staff writer Steve E. Swenson contributed to this report.