attorney20 sources, dated 2026-02-26 – 2026-10-20· last searched 2026-10-28
candidate in the runoff for Los Angeles County Superior Court Office 87
Overview
Synthesized 2026-10-29 in an operator-run Claude session from 19 sources dated 2026-02-26 to 2026-10-20. Machine-written; numbers link to the sources below.
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 9,1. LACBA rated him Well Qualified in April 2026, the highest rating in the Office 87 field; opponent David DeJute is rated Qualified 10,7. He led the June primary with 42.04% 19. Editorial endorsements came from MetNews, the SCNG/Daily News board in both the primary and the general, Knock LA, and a cahighways.org blogger 13,8,4,3,6. Reform California says "Definitely NOT" Bayne, giving no reason 18. His campaign lists endorsers ranging from police unions and ex-DA Steve Cooley to the county public defender and minority bar groups 16. In his own words he stresses fairness, preparation, using AI to ease caseloads, and that "poverty is not a crime" 9,8,1.
Record
Admitted to the California bar December 1, 1994; active license, no public discipline shown.15
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.9,1,3
More than 100 jury trials to verdict, per his campaign and the LA Times.19,1
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).13
Law degree from Simon Greenleaf School of Law (now Trinity), which is State Bar-accredited but not ABA-approved.14,13
Patent holder with patent-pending AI legal tools; a blogger identifies them as V-Call (controlled inmate three-way calls) and JuryTrial AI.9,6,1
Rated Well Qualified by LACBA on April 22, 2026, and finished first in the June 2 primary with 694,004 votes.10,19
Stated positions
Use AI and technology to modernize court case management and reduce caseload backlogs, including backlogs that extend pretrial detention (2026).9,1
"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).8
Philosophy of "fairness, efficiency, dignity, and the faithful application of the law," and a pledge to set aside preconceptions from defense work (May 2026).8
Says he kept trying cases during the primary rather than delay clients' cases (Oct. 2026).1
Praise & support
Deep trial experience and the race's highest bar rating. — SCNG/Daily News editorial board, cahighways.org blogger, Knock LA8,4,6,3
Independent thinker, backed by both police groups (PORAC) and progressive groups (La Defensa). — SCNG/Daily News editorial board8,4
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 Khalid19,13,16
Credentials exceed his rivals'. — Metropolitan News-Enterprise13
Criticism & concerns
"Solid, though not among the strongest" Superior Court candidates, even in an endorsement. — Metropolitan News-Enterprise13
Recommended against with no reason given. — Reform California18
A columnist picked his opponent instead, with no reason given. — Jack Humphreville (LA Watchdog)2
What we could not find
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).
Questions to consider
What do his own trial filings or case outcomes show about his legal reasoning?
How would his long defense career inform his handling of cases from both sides of the courtroom?
What, concretely, would his proposed AI uses in court look like, and what safeguards would apply?
Why does Reform California oppose him?
Analysis of their legal writing and words
Written 2026-10-29 in an operator-run Claude session from 1 primary text19. An evaluative machine reading: check each point against its quoted evidence.
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.
In their words: S1 presents him as an experienced trial lawyer: "30+ years of courtroom experience. Over 100 jury trials to verdict." It also bills him as the only Office 87 candidate rated Well Qualified by LACBA, and uses the slogan "Justice that Works for Los Angeles."
Articulation: Not enough evidenceConsistency: Not enough evidence
Articulation. 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. Only one undated sample, so consistency over time cannot be judged.
Notable rhetoric
S1 relies on comparison and numbers: it calls him "The only candidate rated" Well Qualified, a claim that matches LACBA's published ratings, and cites "694,004 votes countywide" in the primary.
Limits: 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.
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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.
Facts, claims & caveats
Career
31 years; 25+ as LA County deputy public defender
Jury trials
100+ to verdict
LACBA rating
Well Qualified
Bayne says he kept taking cases to trial during the primary "because my clients should not be prejudiced by unnecessary delay."
Bayne says people want "a judge who is prepared and fair, who will listen to their side of the case, and who treats them with respect."
Bayne argues AI could modernize court case management, scheduling and document processing.
Limits: Profile with short quotes from the candidate; no independent assessment of his trial record or of the AI proposals.
Date stated in the document. Summary written 2026-10-29 in an operator-run Claude session. Link checked 2026-10-28.
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.
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.
Facts, claims & caveats
LACBA rating
Well Qualified
Ballot designation
Deputy public defender, County of Los Angeles
Retired judge Stuart Rice, quoted generally, advises voters to weigh LACBA ratings, endorsements, experience and judicial demeanor.
Limits: Listing only. LAist says it published candidate survey answers, but none for Office 87 appear in the stored text.
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.
Facts, claims & caveats
LACBA rating
Well Qualified
Bayne, by email: "I would actively engage with court administration and the judicial council to identify where technology can reduce friction, and I would be a vocal advocate for modernizing court infrastructure."
Bayne says he would address "systemic bottlenecks that delay resolution."
Limits: Only the Office 87 section was reviewed. Short profile; quotes are from candidate emails.
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.
Facts, claims & caveats
Primary field
Anthony (A.J.) Bayne, David DeJute, Sharee Sanders Gordon
Limits: Only the Office 87 entry was reviewed. A listing with no assessment; no Office 87 survey answers appear in the stored text.
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.
Facts, claims & caveats
Committee size (2026)
40 members, chaired by Susan Schwartz
Chair Susan Schwartz says negative reference comments are checked with others present and not accepted at face value.
LAist notes some past candidates questioned whether women, people of color and defense lawyers are evaluated fairly; Schwartz cited implicit-bias training in response.
Limits: Background on the rating system only; says nothing about this candidate. Ratings are a private group's opinion and the reasons are not published.
Los Angeles County Bar Associationbar evaluationNeutral
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.
Facts, claims & caveats
LACBA says its process is thorough and that it aims to be a reliable and unbiased source.
Limits: Process description only; no candidate-specific content.
Anthony (A.J.) Bayne campaignposition statementSupports
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.
Facts, claims & caveats
Primary votes
694,004
Slogan
Justice that Works for Los Angeles
Campaign: "30+ years of courtroom experience. Over 100 jury trials to verdict."
Judge Sean Coen: Bayne "possesses the temperament and patience which would make him an absolute asset and effective bench officer."
Limits: Campaign material. It states credentials and endorsements but no views on law or judging.
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.
Facts, claims & caveats
Endorser
SCNG / Daily News editorial board
The board says Bayne offers "deep courtroom experience, efficiency, and balanced judicial philosophy" and has a reputation as an independent thinker.
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.
Facts, claims & caveats
Limits: The check marks did not survive in the stored text, so this source does not show whom the paper picked. Bayne's website lists "Colorado Blvd. Newspaper" as an endorser.
Date stated in the document. Summary written 2026-10-29 in an operator-run Claude session. Link checked 2026-10-28.
Daily News (Southern California News Group)endorsementSupports
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.
Facts, claims & caveats
Endorsers cited
Judge Pat Connolly; PORAC; La Defensa
Bayne: "Poverty is not a crime."
Bayne says long experience lets him "distinguish between someone genuinely trying to get into compliance who needs a little more time, and someone acting in deliberate disregard of the law."
Bayne: "My philosophy is straightforward: fairness, efficiency, dignity, and the faithful application of the law."
Bayne: "I am a taxpayer and I hate my tax dollars being wasted."
Limits: Editorial opinion; quotes come from the board's interview and are not a full transcript.
Date stated in the document. Summary written 2026-10-29 in an operator-run Claude session. Link checked 2026-10-28.
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.
Facts, claims & caveats
Performance evaluation (year to 2023-11-30)
3.53/5, Very Good
Law school
Simon Greenleaf School of Law (now Trinity Law School)
MetNews: "As candidates for the Superior Court go, he's solid, though not among the strongest."
Limits: Editorial opinion from one legal newspaper; relies on documents the candidate supplied.
Date stated in the document. Summary written 2026-10-29 in an operator-run Claude session. Link checked 2026-10-28.