In a close race, termed-out city Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval was ahead of Superior Court bench Judge Thomas Mellon, a 14-year veteran, 44.00 percent to 42.41 percent of the vote, with 515 out of 580 precincts reporting. Then-Gov. Pete Wilson appointed Mellon to the seat in 1994. Superior Court judges preside over civil and criminal cases filed locally. Sandoval and Mallen challenged Mellon — the only of 22 Superior Court judges to face opposition this election — questioning his judicial temperament. Mellon had a publicized dust-up eight years ago with the Public Defender’s Office and the Sheriff’s Department about his courtroom behavior.