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Judge Roderick Shelton, Another African American First

September 25, 2025

Judge Roderick Shelton made history on September 17th, 2025, becoming the first African American elected as Assistant Presiding Judge of the San Diego Superior Court, shortly after being elected President of the Association of African American California Judicial Officers (AAACJO). Before this achievement, Judge Shelton was elected to the bench in 2016, replacing retired Judge Joe O. Littlejohn, and has presided over various courts including domestic violence, arraignments, family law, and juvenile justice.

Who is affected

  • African American judicial representation in San Diego County
  • The San Diego Superior Court system
  • The Association of African American California Judicial Officers (AAACJO)
  • The 13 African American sitting judges in San Diego County

What action is being taken

  • Judge Roderick Shelton has been elected Assistant Presiding Judge of the San Diego Superior Court
  • Judge Shelton has also been elected President of the Association of African American California Judicial Officers (AAACJO)

Why it matters

  • Judge Shelton is the first African American to hold the position of Assistant Presiding Judge in the San Diego Superior Court
  • His election represents increased diversity in one of the three largest court systems in the country
  • The achievement follows his earlier milestone as the first African American criminal supervising judge for San Diego Superior Court
  • The election potentially positions him to become the first African American Presiding Judge for San Diego in the future

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

Judge Roderick Shelton, Another African American First