By Hammad Kahlun
Scandinavian news Finland
Judicial Appointment Announced
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of The appointment was part of a broader slate of 14 Superior Court Judges named across California counties, including El Dorado, Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and Stanislaus.
Syed fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Keith H. Borjon.
Professional Background
Prior to his appointment, Syed served as a Commissioner at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2026 and worked as a Deputy Public Defender at the Los Angeles Public Defender’s Office from 2005 to 2026.
He earlier worked as an Associate at Augustini & Wheeler from 2004 to 2005.
Syed received his Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School and is registered as a Democrat.
Los Angeles County Superior Court
The Los Angeles County Superior Court is one of the largest trial court systems in the United States, handling a broad range of civil and criminal cases across the county.
Newsom Syed’s appointment was among four Los Angeles-based judicial picks announced the same week, alongside Judge Irene Lee, Judge Jennifer Lee and Judge Stephen Meister.
The Superior Court of Los Angeles County publicly welcomed the new judges following the announcement.
Prior Legal Case Over Retirement Plan
Before joining the bench,Newsom Syed was involved in a legal dispute with Los Angeles County over its retirement investment program.
According to reports, Syed sued the county because its retirement plans only offered interest-bearing investments, which he said conflicted with his religious beliefs against paying or receiving interest under Islamic law.
He won a religious accommodation, and the county subsequently created options allowing Sharia-compliant investments.
Reactions to the Appointment
Following the announcement, the Council on American-Islamic Relations–Los Angeles (CAIR-LA) publicly congratulated Syed on his appointment.
The appointment has also drawn criticism from some commentators, who have raised questions about the case in the context of judicial impartiality.
There is no public evidence that Newsom Syed has stated any intention to apply religious law from the bench, and as with all California judges, he remains bound by the U.S. Constitution and state law.
More on Gov. Newsom’s latest judicial appointments
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