Few offices on California ballots attract less attention than Superior Court judgeships. Yet courts often affect people during some of the most traumatic moments of their lives, whether through a small-claims dispute, a criminal case or a family law matter.
For these nonpartisan bench seats, the usual procedure is for the governor to appoint a new judge. But on the June 2 ballot, the situation for vacant Superior Court Office No. 181 in Los Angeles County is a little different as voters will choose between two candidates.
Ryan Dibble currently is a commissioner, an appointed position similar to that of judge, assigned to handling parole violations. He told me he applied for the judgeship with Gov. Gavin Newsom, but decided to “run for the position in the meantime.”
Running against him is Thanayi Lindsey, an administrative law judge with California’s Office of Administrative Hearings, which hears disputes involving government agencies. Lindsey did not respond to several emails and calls, so I’ll use her webpage.
Dibble graduated from the USC Gould School of Law in 2005. He currently instructs law students in Topics in American Law for the school’s online programs.
And he is a founding board member and director of the Little Lebowski Urban Achievers Scholarship Foundation, which grants scholarships to promising high school students. I laughed when I saw that because the name originates as a fictional scholarship program in the Coen brothers’ cult 1998 comedy, “The Big Lebowski.” But I checked, and Dibble’s charity is real.
From his work as commissioner, Dibble said, “I love the job. I love interacting with the public.” Most people entering the courts are not happy about dealing with a difficult process, often fraught with emotion. “I like to make people feel as comfortable as I can with the process,” he said. “I believe strongly in the public’s confidence in the courts, and I think that a lot of that confidence is dependent upon people feeling the process was fair.”
Like many lawyers aspiring to a judgeship, Dibble is a former deputy district attorney. For 19 years until his appointment as commissioner last year, his assignments in the DA’s Office included the Major Narcotics Division and the Justice System Integrity Division.
I asked how a former deputy DA can avoid “prosecutorial bias” on the bench. He said the first step is being aware how, in his former role, “I was advocating for a side, and now I’m currently sitting in a position where I’m nobody’s advocate. I’m just there to provide due process and listen to both sides, hear their positions and keep an open mind.”
Artificial intelligence seems to be devouring our lives. I brought up an April 13 KTLA story, which began, “The State Bar of California is charging two attorneys with submitting false and inaccurate court filings produced using generative artificial intelligence without proper review.”
“I think what AI can be used for is an assistive tool to guide research in the legal field,” Dibble said. Because AI in some cases can create “hallucinations,” fake cases and authorities, “it’s the duty of the lawyer, and it’s the duty of the judge, to look at those citations and confirm that the citation actually says what it says in the AI response.”
Lindsey’s website says for five years she has “presided over evidentiary hearings, mediations and prehearing proceedings. Her work reflects a consistent focus on efficiency, clarity and respect for all parties involved.” She has handled thousands of cases, reflecting “a strong performance record,” and has “demonstrated both competence and judicial temperament in high-volume, high-stakes environments.”
On fairness, she has “focused on ensuring individuals – regardless of background – can navigate the legal system with dignity and fairness.”
The Los Angeles County Bar Association evaluated Dibble as “Well Qualified,” defined as possessing “professional ability, experience, competence, integrity and temperament indicative of superior fitness.” It scored Lindsey “Not Qualified,” meaning a candidate who “lacks one or more of the qualities of professional ability, experience, competence, integrity and temperament.”
Dibble is the clear choice for L.A. County voters to put on the bench.
John Seiler is on the SCNG Editorial Board