Presiding Judge and Assistant Presiding Judge Elected for 2025 and 2026

REDWOOD CITY – On September 13, 2024, the San Mateo County Superior Court bench elected its Presiding Judge and Assistant Presiding Judge for 2025 and 2026. The Honorable Stephanie G. Garratt was selected as the Court’s next Presiding Judge, having served as Assistant Presiding Judge for the past two years. The Honorable Rachel Holt, Supervising Judge of Family Law, will serve as the next Assistant Presiding Judge.

Presiding Judge-Elect Garratt served as a Commissioner from 2004 through 2014, and was appointed as Judge in January of 2015. In addition to serving as Assistant Presiding Judge, Judge Garratt is assigned as a Trial Judge and supervises the Commissioners and Pro Tem Judges for the Court. The Honorable Elizabeth K. Lee, Presiding Judge, highlighted, “Judge Garratt is an experienced judicial officer on our bench who is well qualified to serve as the Court’s next Presiding Judge. In addition to being our current Assistant Presiding Judge, she serves on the Executive Committee and is the Supervising Judge of the Commissioners. She has also served as the Criminal Presiding Judge and has presided over a wide range of criminal matters, including high profile homicide cases.”

Assistant Presiding Judge-Elect Holt previously served as a Commissioner from 2014 through 2020, and was appointed to serve as Judge in May of 2020. Presiding Judge Lee noted, “Judge Holt is an experienced judicial officer on our bench who is also well qualified to serve as the Court’s next Assistant Presiding Judge. Judge Holt also serves on the Executive Committee and is the current Supervising Judge of Family Law and the current Chair of the Court’s Administrative Committee. Judge Holt has presided over a wide range of family law and criminal matters.”

Both Judges will begin serving in their leadership roles on January 2, 2025.