# Anthony (A.J.) Bayne *legal · Superior Court Judge, Office 87 · attorney* — November 3, 2026 General Election (2026-11-03), Los Angeles County, California Research pack generated 2026-10-30T23:52:30+00:00 by ballotscope. Summaries are LLM-generated from the linked originals and may contain errors; check the originals before relying on anything. Sources span 2026-02-26 to 2026-10-20. ## Overview (as of 2026-10-29, from 19 sources) Anthony (A.J.) Bayne is a Los Angeles County deputy public defender of more than 25 years, with over 100 jury trials to verdict. He spent 19 years at the Compton Courthouse and now handles serious felonies in Torrance [Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court judge elections: every competitive race; Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court Judge Office 87 election]. LACBA rated him Well Qualified in April 2026, the highest rating in the Office 87 field; opponent David DeJute is rated Qualified [LACBA Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee: Full 2026 report; Los Angeles County Superior Court Judges: Who's running in the Nov. 3 election and why it matters]. He led the June primary with 42.04% [Elect Bayne for Judge (campaign website)]. Editorial endorsements came from MetNews, the SCNG/Daily News board in both the primary and the general, Knock LA, and a cahighways.org blogger [MetNews editorial endorsing Bayne for Office No. 87; Endorsement: Anthony Bayne for Superior Court Office No. 87; Confused by the judicial races? Here are our LA County Superior Court endorsements; Knock LA progressive voter guide, November 2026 general election; November 2026 General Election Ballot Analysis (IV): Judicial Offices]. Reform California says "Definitely NOT" Bayne, giving no reason [Reform California voter guide: Los Angeles County]. His campaign lists endorsers ranging from police unions and ex-DA Steve Cooley to the county public defender and minority bar groups [Elect Bayne for Judge: Endorsements]. In his own words he stresses fairness, preparation, using AI to ease caseloads, and that "poverty is not a crime" [Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court judge elections: every competitive race; Endorsement: Anthony Bayne for Superior Court Office No. 87; Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court Judge Office 87 election]. ### Record highlights - Admitted to the California bar December 1, 1994; active license, no public discipline shown. [State Bar of California licensee profile: Anthony Bayne] - About 25 years as an LA County deputy public defender, from misdemeanors up to special-circumstances and three-strikes cases. He spent 19 years at Compton, partly as deputy in charge supervising misdemeanor deputies. [Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court judge elections: every competitive race; Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court Judge Office 87 election; Knock LA progressive voter guide, November 2026 general election] - More than 100 jury trials to verdict, per his campaign and the LA Times. [Elect Bayne for Judge (campaign website); Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court Judge Office 87 election] - His office performance evaluation for the year ending Nov. 30, 2023 was 3.53 of 5 ("Very Good"); the prior year's was "Competent" (MetNews, from documents he supplied). [MetNews editorial endorsing Bayne for Office No. 87] - Law degree from Simon Greenleaf School of Law (now Trinity), which is State Bar-accredited but not ABA-approved. [MetNews chart: 2026 judicial candidates' law degree information; MetNews editorial endorsing Bayne for Office No. 87] - Patent holder with patent-pending AI legal tools; a blogger identifies them as V-Call (controlled inmate three-way calls) and JuryTrial AI. [Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court judge elections: every competitive race; November 2026 General Election Ballot Analysis (IV): Judicial Offices; Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court Judge Office 87 election] - Rated Well Qualified by LACBA on April 22, 2026, and finished first in the June 2 primary with 694,004 votes. [LACBA Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee: Full 2026 report; Elect Bayne for Judge (campaign website)] ### Stated positions - Use AI and technology to modernize court case management and reduce caseload backlogs, including backlogs that extend pretrial detention (2026). [Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court judge elections: every competitive race; Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court Judge Office 87 election] - "Poverty is not a crime"; judges should distinguish people trying to comply who need more time from those in deliberate disregard of the law (May 2026). [Endorsement: Anthony Bayne for Superior Court Office No. 87] - Philosophy of "fairness, efficiency, dignity, and the faithful application of the law," and a pledge to set aside preconceptions from defense work (May 2026). [Endorsement: Anthony Bayne for Superior Court Office No. 87] - Says he kept trying cases during the primary rather than delay clients' cases (Oct. 2026). [Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court Judge Office 87 election] ### Gaps - No questionnaire answers, op-eds, debate or forum transcripts in his own words; LAist's candidate survey answers for Office 87 are not in the stored text. - No briefs, motions or case outcomes from his public-defender work. - LACBA gives no reasons for its rating. - No campaign-finance records. - The Daily Journal story on bar ratings was blocked (HTTP 403). ### Arguments for / praise - Deep trial experience and the race's highest bar rating. — *SCNG/Daily News editorial board, cahighways.org blogger, Knock LA* [Endorsement: Anthony Bayne for Superior Court Office No. 87; Confused by the judicial races? Here are our LA County Superior Court endorsements; November 2026 General Election Ballot Analysis (IV): Judicial Offices; Knock LA progressive voter guide, November 2026 general election] - Independent thinker, backed by both police groups (PORAC) and progressive groups (La Defensa). — *SCNG/Daily News editorial board* [Endorsement: Anthony Bayne for Superior Court Office No. 87; Confused by the judicial races? Here are our LA County Superior Court endorsements] - Good temperament and demeanor, according to judges and colleagues. — *Judges Sean Coen and Christopher Frisco (campaign site), a judge quoted by MetNews, Deputy DA Shiraz Khalid* [Elect Bayne for Judge (campaign website); MetNews editorial endorsing Bayne for Office No. 87; Elect Bayne for Judge: Endorsements] - Credentials exceed his rivals'. — *Metropolitan News-Enterprise* [MetNews editorial endorsing Bayne for Office No. 87] ### Arguments against / criticism - "Solid, though not among the strongest" Superior Court candidates, even in an endorsement. — *Metropolitan News-Enterprise* [MetNews editorial endorsing Bayne for Office No. 87] - Recommended against with no reason given. — *Reform California* [Reform California voter guide: Los Angeles County] - A columnist picked his opponent instead, with no reason given. — *Jack Humphreville (LA Watchdog)* [The LA Watchdog's 2026 Voter Guide] ## Analysis of their own words (as of 2026-10-29) Coverage: One sample: Bayne's undated campaign homepage (S1), a short promotional page. No questionnaire answers, op-eds, interview transcripts, debate, or briefs he wrote were found. His longer quoted remarks appear only in an editorial endorsement and newspaper guides, which are outside this analysis. insufficient_evidence. S1 lists credentials and endorsements but states no view on interpretation, precedent, sentencing, or rights claims. It cites endorsements from both police unions and defense-side and civic groups, but that shows who supports him, not what he believes. Articulation: **insufficient_evidence**. S1 is a short marketing page of credentials, vote totals and endorsement counts, with no argument or explanation to judge for clarity or reasoning. There is no unscripted speech. Consistency: **insufficient_evidence**. Only one undated sample, so consistency over time cannot be judged. Limitations: Based on one promotional page. The thin record reflects what was collected, not necessarily what Bayne has said; his quoted remarks to editorial boards are not analyzed here. As a public defender he would have trial filings, but none were found. ## Timeline (newest first) - **2026-10-20** — Published: Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court Judge Office 87 election (Los Angeles Times) - **2026-10-15** — Published: The LA Watchdog's 2026 Voter Guide (CityWatch LA (The LA Watchdog)) - **2026-10-14** — Endorsed by APABA of Los Angeles County (per campaign) (Anthony (A.J.) Bayne campaign) - **2026-10-11** — Published: Knock LA progressive voter guide, November 2026 general election (Knock LA) - **2026-10-10** — Published: Confused by the judicial races? Here are our LA County Superior Court endorsements (Los Angeles Daily News) - **2026-10-10** — SCNG editorial board endorsed Bayne for the general election (Los Angeles Daily News) - **2026-10-09** — Published: 2026 General Election: Recommendations for L.A. County Superior Court Judges (Colorado Boulevard) - **2026-10-07** — Published: November 2026 General Election Ballot Analysis (IV): Judicial Offices (cahighways.org (Daniel Faigin)) - **2026-10-02** — Published: Los Angeles County Superior Court Judges: Who's running in the Nov. 3 election and why it matters (LAist) - **2026-08-04** — Endorsed by the Mexican American Bar Association (per campaign) (Anthony (A.J.) Bayne campaign) - **2026-05-28** — Published: Endorsement: Anthony Bayne for Superior Court Office No. 87 (Daily News (Southern California News Group)) - **2026-05-28** — SCNG editorial board endorsed Bayne in the primary (Daily News (Southern California News Group)) - **2026-05-01** — Published: Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court judge elections: every competitive race (Los Angeles Times) - **2026-04-22** — Published: LACBA Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee: Full 2026 report (Los Angeles County Bar Association) - **2026-04-22** — LACBA rated Bayne Well Qualified for Office 87 (Los Angeles County Bar Association) - **2026-04-20** — Published: LAist: LA County Bar Association ratings of 2026 Superior Court judicial candidates (LAist) - **2026-04-17** — Published: LAist guide to the 2026 primary L.A. Superior Court Judge races (LAist) - **2026-03-20** — Published: MetNews editorial endorsing Bayne for Office No. 87 (Metropolitan News-Enterprise) - **2026-03-20** — MetNews endorsed Bayne (Metropolitan News-Enterprise) - **2026-02-26** — Published: MetNews chart: 2026 judicial candidates' law degree information (Metropolitan News-Enterprise) - **1994-12-01** — Admitted to the State Bar of California (State Bar of California) ## Sources ### Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court Judge Office 87 election - Los Angeles Times · voter guide · published 2026-10-20 · stance: neutral - Los Angeles Times guide to the Office 87 runoff. Bayne is a deputy public defender of 25-plus years with more than 100 jury trials to verdict, including murder, special-circumstances and three-strikes cases; he spent 19 years at the Compton Courthouse, partly as deputy in charge, and now handles serious felonies in Torrance. - LACBA: Well Qualified, a notch above DeJute. - Holds patent-pending AI tools for legal work (closing arguments, cross-examination questions) and names using AI to manage caseloads as a priority. - Quoted on continuing to try cases during the primary and on what litigants want from a judge. ### The LA Watchdog's 2026 Voter Guide - CityWatch LA (The LA Watchdog) · endorsement · published 2026-10-15 · stance: support - Jack Humphreville's LA Watchdog column (CityWatch) lists DeJute, not Bayne, for Superior Court 87, with no reasons. ### Knock LA progressive voter guide, November 2026 general election - Knock LA · voter guide · published 2026-10-11 · stance: oppose - Knock LA's progressive voter guide recommends Bayne for Seat 87, citing his 25 years as a public defender, including 19 at Compton. - The guide argues LACBA ratings favor prosecutorial experience and that police-union endorsements signal pro-incarceration judges. ### Confused by the judicial races? Here are our LA County Superior Court endorsements - Los Angeles Daily News · endorsement · published 2026-10-10 · stance: support - The Southern California News Group editorial board endorses Bayne for Office 87 in the general election. - Cites his Well Qualified rating, quarter-century of trial experience, and backing from both law enforcement groups and progressive criminal-justice groups. - Reference: Primary endorsement of Bayne ### 2026 General Election: Recommendations for L.A. County Superior Court Judges - Colorado Boulevard · endorsement · published 2026-10-09 · stance: neutral - Colorado Boulevard's editorial board lists the Office 87 candidates with their LACBA ratings, including Bayne (Well qualified, Deputy Public Defender), and says check marks show its picks. ### November 2026 General Election Ballot Analysis (IV): Judicial Offices - cahighways.org (Daniel Faigin) · voter guide · published 2026-10-07 · stance: support - A personal ballot-analysis blog (cahighways.org) recommends Bayne for Office 87, mainly because his LACBA rating is higher. It summarizes his background and quotes MetNews. - Bayne: DPD IV; JD Trinity (Simon Greenleaf) 1994, LL.M. in taxation; admitted 1994. - Lists patents, apparently V-Call (controlled inmate three-way calls that earn jails revenue) and JuryTrial AI. - Endorsements noted: MetNews, ILWU Southern California District Council, PORAC. - Reference: MetNews editorial on Bayne - Reference: Bayne campaign website ### Los Angeles County Superior Court Judges: Who's running in the Nov. 3 election and why it matters - LAist · voter guide · published 2026-10-02 · stance: neutral - LAist's general-election guide lists Bayne in Office 87 as a Los Angeles County deputy public defender rated Well Qualified by LACBA, with links to his website, endorsements and State Bar profile. - LACBA rating: Well Qualified; opponent David DeJute rated Qualified. - Ballot designation: Deputy public defender, County of Los Angeles. - Reference: Bayne campaign website - Reference: Bayne endorsements - Reference: Bayne State Bar profile - Reference: LACBA ratings ### Endorsement: Anthony Bayne for Superior Court Office No. 87 - Daily News (Southern California News Group) · endorsement · published 2026-05-28 · stance: support - SCNG editorial board's primary endorsement of Bayne, calling all three Office 87 candidates capable. It quotes Bayne at length from its endorsement interview on poverty, fairness and preparation. - Board cites support from Judge Pat Connolly, PORAC and La Defensa as evidence he is an independent thinker. - Bayne's background: left drugs and alcohol behind, aerospace and defense work, then 25 years as a public defender; self-taught patent holder. ### Your guide to the L.A. County Superior Court judge elections: every competitive race - Los Angeles Times · voter guide · published 2026-05-01 · stance: neutral - Los Angeles Times primary guide profile of Bayne: 25 years as a deputy public defender, from misdemeanors to death-penalty-eligible special-circumstances cases; 19 years at Compton Courthouse; priorities are using AI and technology for caseloads and easing backlogs that prolong pretrial detention. - LACBA: Well Qualified. - Patent-pending AI tools for attorney workflow. - Reference: LACBA 2026 full report ### LACBA Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee: Full 2026 report - Los Angeles County Bar Association · bar evaluation · published 2026-04-22 · stance: neutral - LACBA's final 2026 committee report rates Bayne Well Qualified for Office 87, the highest rating in that race. - Office 87: Bayne Well Qualified; DeJute and Sharee S. Gordon Qualified. - 39 committee members took part; reasons for individual ratings are not given. ### LAist: LA County Bar Association ratings of 2026 Superior Court judicial candidates - LAist · bar evaluation · published 2026-04-20 · stance: neutral - LAist explainer on how the LA County Bar Association's Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee rates Superior Court candidates. It does not name or rate either Office 87 candidate. - Ratings: Exceptionally Well Qualified (>75% of voting members), Well Qualified (>60%), Qualified (>50%), Not Qualified. - Candidates are rated individually, not against opponents; investigations are confidential and only the rating is public. - Process: questionnaire, 50 to 75 references, at least an hour-long subcommittee interview, appeal available for the two lower ratings. - Reference: LACBA Judicial Elections Evaluation page - Reference: LAist 2024 story on fairness concerns about LACBA ratings ### LAist guide to the 2026 primary L.A. Superior Court Judge races - LAist · voter guide · published 2026-04-17 · stance: neutral - LAist's June primary guide lists three Office 87 candidates: Bayne (Well Qualified, deputy public defender), with DeJute and Sharee Sanders Gordon (both Qualified). - Three-way primary field: Bayne, DeJute, Sharee Sanders Gordon (deputy city attorney). - Ratings shown are LACBA's. - Reference: LACBA ratings ### MetNews editorial endorsing Bayne for Office No. 87 - Metropolitan News-Enterprise · endorsement · published 2026-03-20 · stance: support - Metropolitan News-Enterprise editorial endorsing Bayne in the primary. It calls him "solid, though not among the strongest" Superior Court candidates but stronger than his rivals. - Quotes a judge praising his demeanor and temperament and a senior colleague calling him "hard working and unassuming." - His 2023 office evaluation was 3.53 of 5 ("Very Good"); the prior year's was "Competent." - Notes his law school (Simon Greenleaf, now Trinity) is State Bar-accredited but not ABA-approved. ### MetNews chart: 2026 judicial candidates' law degree information - Metropolitan News-Enterprise · other · published 2026-02-26 · stance: not_applicable - MetNews chart of 2026 judicial candidates' law schools and admission years: Bayne, Simon Greenleaf, 1994. ### State Bar of California licensee profile: Anthony Bayne - State Bar of California · other · published undated · stance: not_applicable - State Bar profile: Anthony Jeremiah Bayne, #172129, active, admitted December 1, 1994. No discipline is shown. ### Elect Bayne for Judge: Endorsements - Anthony (A.J.) Bayne campaign · endorsement · published undated · stance: support - Bayne's endorsement page lists about 34 judicial officers, about 50 attorneys from both prosecution and defense, police unions, bar groups and media. - Judges include Pat Connolly, Olivia Rosales and Holly J. Fujie, a former Office 87 judge. - Law enforcement and labor: PORAC, LAPPL, LA Port Police Association, West Covina POA; LA County Public Defender Ricardo García (informational). - Former DA Steve Cooley; MABA; APABA-LA; LA African American Women PAC. - Media listed: SCNG editorial board, La Opinión, Metropolitan News-Enterprise, Knock LA, Our Weekly, Himalayan Voice, Colorado Blvd. ### LACBA Judicial Elections Evaluation - Los Angeles County Bar Association · bar evaluation · published undated · stance: neutral - LACBA's committee page describes how it evaluates contested Superior Court candidates and links its full 2026 report. It does not list individual ratings in the stored text. - Candidates submit a questionnaire and 75 references; members research backgrounds, contact references, and interview participants. - Ratings are reviewed by LACBA's Board before publication. - Reference: LACBA 2026 full report - Reference: JEEC Rules of Procedure ### Reform California voter guide: Los Angeles County - Reform California · voter guide · published undated · stance: oppose - Reform California, Carl DeMaio's conservative group, lists "Office 87: Definitely NOT A.J. Bayne" in its LA County guide, without explanation. ### Elect Bayne for Judge (campaign website) - Anthony (A.J.) Bayne campaign · position statement · published undated · stance: support - Bayne's campaign homepage. It bills him as the only Office 87 candidate rated Well Qualified, with 30-plus years in court and over 100 jury trials, and notes his first-place primary finish (694,004 votes). - Claims 30+ judicial-officer and 50+ attorney endorsers, plus 6 news outlets. - Quotes Judges Sean Coen and Christopher Frisco on his temperament. - Lists LAPPL, APABA-LA (2026-10-14), MABA (2026-08-04) and Latin Business Association chair Ruben Guerra. - Reference: Endorsements page ### County bar groups issue mixed ratings on judicial candidates - Daily Journal · news · published undated · stance: neutral - ## Suggested use Ask me neutral questions about this subject using the material above. Distinguish what the sources say from your own background knowledge, cite the source titles you rely on, and say when information may be out of date given the dates shown.