All Rise For the Newly Appointed Superior Court Judge

Longtime Deputy District Attorney Daniel Lamborn got some happy news for the holidays. Governor Jerry Brown appointed him to serve as a judge on the San Diego Superior Court.

Lamborn took a new oath on Dec. 27 and joined the bench while his family looked on, including his 91-year-old mother, who he said was bursting with pride.

“It’s a very humbling honor to be placed in such a position,” said Lamborn Monday as he cleaned out his County office. “After being a prosecutor for so many years, it will be a very fulfilling experience -- where instead of being an advocate, it will be very good to be the judge to make decisions in trying to achieve justice.”

Judge Lamborn, 57, worked for the District Attorney’s Office for 30 years in various positions. Most recently, he served as chief deputy district attorney, a post he had held since 2008.

Lamborn said his colleagues at the District Attorney’s Office have all been “very supportive, not only of this, but throughout my whole career.”

In order to be considered by the governor, attorneys go through a series of local interviews and a final interview that determines if candidates will get an interview with the governor’s senior advisor.  Lamborn said he interviewed with the senior advisor in November. Sometimes it can take months before any appointment but his was very quick and made for “quite a Christmas gift,” he said.

He plans to start his new position next week and looks forward to his assignment.

“Wherever he sends me, I’ll work very hard to take care of the people of San Diego,” said Lamborn.

In his career as a deputy district attorney, he prosecuted several high-profile cases. They included convictions of Cleophus Prince, a serial killer known as the Clairemont Killer, and Kenneth Bogard, dubbed the Pacific Beach Rapist. Lamborn earned various honors including a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition in 2003, a Metro Arson Strike Team Prosecutor’s Award in 2000 and Prosecutor of the Year by the San Diego District Attorney’s Office in 1993.

He also has worked as an instructor at California Western School of Law and for the FBI. Lamborn said he will continue teaching this coming quarter and then see what the future holds.