Rebecca Kanter

Rebecca Kanter is an award-winning Assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecutes crimes impacting our communities and families. She has 19 years of legal experience that includes seeking justice for victims of internet crimes against children, fraud against service-disabled veterans, and public corruption. A graduate of UCLA Law, she has served as a Civil Rights Coordinator, Ethics Advisor, Adjunct Law Professor, and Superior Court temporary judge.

Rebecca is rated “Well-Qualified” by the San Diego County Bar Association and endorsed by the San Diego UT.

Rebecca is a mother and President of the San Diego Federal Daycare Board, a nonprofit ensuring quality, affordable childcare for military and federal families. Rebecca was a Vice President of Lawyers Club of San Diego, which advances the status of women in law and society. She led the Lawyers Club Fund for Justice supporting vulnerable women and girls and chaired the Reproductive Rights & Women’s Advocacy Committee. She has volunteered with nonprofit organizations such as San Diego Coastkeeper and WiLDCOAST protecting coastal ecosystems, including two years as the President of WiLDCOAST's Board of Directors.

Rebecca is endorsed by California Senator Toni Atkins, Supervisor Chair Nathan Fletcher, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, Chula Vista Mayor Mary Salas, Encinitas Mayor Catherine Blakespear, five San Diego Councilmembers, and more than 35 judges.

• To fairly and impartially administer justice and promote the rule of law
• To uphold the Constitution and maintain the judiciary’s role as a defender of democratic values
• To increase access to justice

My past community service has demonstrated my commitment to advancing equality and diversity as well as protecting the natural environment. My professional service has demonstrated my commitment to protecting our community through the rule of law, and to holding public officials accountable to the highest standards of ethics and integrity.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She reminded me a bit of my little Jewish grandmother who was from the greater NY area, and the difference that education can make for a woman's opportunities in life.

If elected, I would exemplify the four qualities I most admire in the judges who have mentored and inspired me: (1) legal skill, (2) judicial temperament, (3) decisiveness, and (4) compassion. I have developed those characteristics through my professional and life experiences, education and training.

To fairly and impartially administer justice while upholding the rule of law

I remember when the Berlin Wall came down; specifically, I remember my grandfather, who had fought in WWII including landing on the beaches of Normandy, crying watching the images on TV.

My very first job was as a babysitter/nanny for a family in my neighborhood. I worked for the family for over a decade as they grew from two to four children. As I grew older, I took on additional families, including learning sign language at 16 to become a nanny to a boy who was hearing impaired since birth.

The Family Madrigal from Encanto (my toddler's current favorite)

Many voters may not realize that Superior Court judges rotate among different assignments. Whether elected or appointed, judges serve in an assignment determined by the Presiding Judge, which might be family, probate, criminal, civil, etc. When evaluating judicial candidates, voters will want to look for someone who is not only good at their specialized field, but has demonstrated the intellectual capacity and intellectual curiosity to take on any assignment and serve with the community effectively.

My judicial ambitions were inspired in part from reading “The Courage of Their Convictions” by Peter Irons. Each chapter traces the history of a Supreme Court case told in two parts – first, about the attorneys and the law, and second, telling the story from the perspective of the individual whose rights were at stake. That is when I understood the lived experience of housing discrimination and the internment of Japanese Americans.
These stories made me appreciate the real-world impact that the lawyers and judges have on shaping the lives of everyday people. They demonstrated the impactful role of judges in giving meaning to the hallmarks of our democracy: fairness, justice, and equality. As a prosecutor, I have kept these principles in mind during my public service. These cornerstone principles would also be the foundation of my judicial philosophy. Always remembering the humanity of all individuals appearing in court and mindful that people’s lives, liberty and wellbeing are impacted by the daily decisions judges make will be central to my decision-making as a judge.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

A judge’s character would be incomplete if their legal skill was not tempered by compassion. My personal experiences coming from a family that dealt with addiction and severe medical challenges have shaped the compassion I will bring to my role as a jurist.

Well Qualified

I’m seeking Seat 35 in particular because of my commitment to diversity in the judiciary. Seat 35 was most recently held by Judge Jinsook Ohta, who also served on the Lawyers Club of San Diego Board of Directors, whose mission is to advance the status of women in law and society. Through my service to Lawyers Club and on the San Diego County Bar Association’s Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, I have worked to promote a diverse judiciary. As a judge, I would continue this commitment to providing opportunities to enhance the diversity of the bench and legal profession.

I believe it is most important for trial court judges to have trial experience. Government service (e.g., as a prosecutor) tends to provide lawyers with some of the most frequently opportunities for trial experience.

The erosion of trust in our judiciary and all democratic institutions

Increasing access to justice and diversifying opportunities for adjudication tailored to the community's needs through our collaborative courts

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