Brown has nominated Goodwin Liu, a Professor of Law at UC Berkeley to the state's high court. The 40-year old was nominated previously by President Obama to serve on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
However, Liu withdrew his name after a Republican filibuster blocked his confirmation. In a statement, Brown called Liu "an extraordinary man and a distinguished legal scholar and teacher." Liu also worked as an appellate litigator in Washington D.C and clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Liu was born in Georgia to parents who emigrated to the U.S. from Taiwan.
The Commission on Judicial Appointments will hold public hearings to review the nomination and must confirm it. Liu will replace Justice Carlos Moreno, the only Democratic appointee, who retired from the court earlier this year.
