Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the appointment of Cynthia M. Herrera, 46, of Santa Ana, to a judgeship in the Orange County Superior Court.

Herrera started with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) as a deputy district attorney in 1997. She has served the Office as a senior deputy district attorney since 2011, rising to the Homicide Unit. Herrera earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Irvine.

Herrera fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge W. Michael Hayes.

“Cynthia has been a hard-working, ethical deputy with a long list of assignments,” stated District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. “Her passion for justice shines in the courtroom, and the residents of Orange County will be well served with Judge Herrera presiding over its important matters.”

Herrera is a Democrat.