Judge Sharunne L. Foster

Judge Sharunne L. Foster serves on the Superior Court of Riverside County, having been appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom on June 18, 2024, to fill the seat vacated by Judge Mark E. Johnson. Her appointment reflects a gubernatorial selection process, meaning she was vetted through the Newsom administration's judicial appointment criteria. She assumed the bench in 2024 and subsequently secured her position through the electoral process, winning re-election outright in the June 2026 primary after both the primary and general election contests were canceled due to the absence of opposing candidates. Because Judge Foster assumed office in 2024, she is a relatively new member of the Riverside County Superior Court bench. No analyzed rulings, attorney observations, or ingested content are available in the current data set. As a result, no documented patterns regarding her judicial philosophy, ruling tendencies, motion practice preferences, or courtroom management style can be reported at this time. Attorneys appearing before Judge Foster should treat this as a low-data environment and prepare accordingly. The absence of a documented track record means standard best practices for newly appointed California superior court judges apply, and counsel should prioritize direct observation of her courtroom before high-stakes appearances.

With no ruling analyses or attorney observations available, no data-supported tactical guidance specific to Judge Foster's preferences can be provided. Attorneys should not assume familiarity with her tendencies based on her predecessor, Judge Mark E. Johnson, as judicial styles are individual and no data connects their approaches. Given that Judge Foster is a Newsom appointee who took the bench in 2024, she is in the early stages of her judicial career on the superior court. Counsel appearing before her should be prepared for a judge who is still establishing courtroom norms and procedures. Checking the Riverside Superior Court's local rules and any standing orders issued by Judge Foster's department is the most reliable preparation step available given current data limitations. Attorneys should consider attending or monitoring other proceedings in Judge Foster's courtroom prior to their own appearances to directly observe her procedural expectations, demeanor, and any preferences she has communicated from the bench. This direct observation is the most actionable intelligence-gathering method available in the absence of documented ruling patterns.

• critical

  Review Department Standing Orders

  Obtain and review any standing orders issued by Judge Foster's department at Riverside Historic Courthouse. Newly appointed judges frequently issue standing orders that govern motion practice, hearing procedures, and filing requirements.

• critical

  Attend Courtroom Before Your Hearing

  Observe Judge Foster's courtroom in session prior to your scheduled appearance. With no documented behavioral data available, direct observation is the primary method for assessing her procedural expectations and demeanor.

• important

  Verify Local Rules Compliance

  Confirm full compliance with Riverside County Superior Court local rules, as no data exists to indicate any variances or leniencies Judge Foster applies to local rule requirements.

• Nice

  Identify Predecessor's Courtroom Norms as Baseline Only

  Judge Foster replaced Judge Mark E. Johnson. Research Johnson's former courtroom practices solely as a baseline reference, understanding that Judge Foster's practices are independently established and no data confirms continuity.

• ›Follow all Riverside County Superior Court local rules precisely, as no documented exceptions or informal practices for Judge Foster's courtroom have been recorded.
• ›Arrive early and prepared for any scheduled hearing, as no data exists to suggest Judge Foster tolerates procedural unpreparedness.
• ›Check the court's website and clerk's office for any standing orders or department-specific procedures issued by Judge Foster before your appearance.