Los Angeles County · Statewide General Election
Judge of the Superior Court, Office No. 131 — Los Angeles County
Draft candidate list — early preview until the state’s official list publishes on August 27, 2026.
This is one contest. Enter your address to see every race on your November ballot, and keep track of your picks.
On the ballot
- David Ross
- Donna Tryfman
This person holds a countywide seat on the Los Angeles County Superior Court, the state trial court (6-year term).
Headed to a November 3 runoff: Deputy Public Defender Donna Tryfman (37.3%) vs. Deputy Alternate Public Defender David Ross (33.2%). Both finalists are career defense lawyers; all four June candidates were rated Qualified.
The winner serves a six-year term on the county's trial bench, assigned anywhere from criminal and civil to family and probate court. Trial judges rule alone — their decisions are checked mainly on appeal — so the person matters more than in almost any other down-ballot office.
Both finalists are career defense lawyers, so the usual prosecutor-versus-defender axis does not apply here — the choice is between two people who have spent their careers on the same side of the courtroom. What differs is length of service and the presence of one uncorroborated allegation against the more experienced candidate. Weigh depth of experience against how much weight you give a claim no outlet has been able to confirm.
Donna Tryfman
Deputy Public Defender of about 29 years in the Major Cases Unit. The establishment legal press called her the best choice among the four. Her experience is the deepest in the race.
Strengths
Nearly three decades on the system's hardest defense cases.
Trade-offs
None documented from official sources.
Keep in mind
A progressive guide aired secondhand allegations about past campaign and workplace conduct that no other outlet corroborated — noted only because you may encounter them.
David Ross
Deputy Alternate Public Defender since 2000, and a journalist before law. Knock LA called him the most qualified progressive choice. Even the outlet endorsing his opponent credited his judicial aptitude.
Strengths
A quarter-century as a public defender, plus a prior career in journalism — a broader working background than most judicial candidates bring.
Trade-offs
A career on one side of the criminal courtroom, if balance of background matters to you; and his opponent has several more years on the hardest cases.
Keep in mind
Nothing adverse surfaced in coverage of him — unlike his opponent, no outlet we cite raises any allegation about his conduct.
June 2 primary — how they advanced
Source review: Strong (85/100) · 7 cited sources
Official records anchor this contest, with several source types checked for context; advocacy or endorsement sources are treated as attributed perspective.
Review note: Knock LA and Metropolitan News-Enterprise may have more bias because they are advocacy or endorsement sources compared to other formal government and nonprofit journalism sources.
- results.lavote.gov (opens in a new tab)LA County RR/CC — Certified results, June 2, 2026 primary (certified 2026-06-26)
- content.lavote.gov (opens in a new tab)LA County RR/CC — Offices Scheduled for Election, November 3, 2026 (6/26/26)
- laist.com (opens in a new tab)LAist — LA County judicial races guide (LACBA ratings, ballot designations)
- lacba.org (opens in a new tab)LA County Bar Association — 2026 Judicial Candidate Evaluations
- metnews.com (opens in a new tab)Metropolitan News-Enterprise — 2026 judicial race profiles and endorsements
- knock-la.com (opens in a new tab)Knock LA — June 2026 judicial voter guide
- campaignfinance.lacounty.gov (opens in a new tab)LA County campaign-finance disclosure (Registrar-Recorder / NetFile)
Last updated August 17, 2026.