Donna Tryfman, a deputy public defender in the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office, is running for Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge, Office 131. The nonpartisan seat is on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. Pasadena voters will see this race on their ballots. David Ross is also running.
Asked why she is running, Tryfman said in our candidate questionnaire, "I am seeking elected office because I believe public service is about showing up, listening carefully, and making sure that the people who depend on our public institutions are treated with fairness, dignity, and respect."
Candidate information
Party affiliation: "Registered Democrat," Tryfman said in our questionnaire. The race is nonpartisan.
Education: Tryfman said in our questionnaire that she attended "Brandeis University: BA in English & American Literature, Minor in Legal Studies" and "University of La Verne School of Law: JD."
Family: "I am the daughter of immigrants and the child of Holocaust survivors," Tryfman said in our questionnaire. "My parents came to America carrying the experience of what happens when people lose the protection of law and institutions. They taught me never to take democracy, constitutional rights, or the rule of law for granted."
She added, "I am also a widow and single mother."
Experience and public service
"For more than 30 years, I have been a trial lawyer," Tryfman said in our questionnaire. "I currently handle homicide and capital litigation."
"From 2016–2019, I served as Deputy-in-Charge at Eastlake Juvenile Court, supervising approximately 25 attorneys and staffing collaborative drug court," she said.
She said she "served as President of the Public Defenders Association from 2015–2020" and is "Vice Chair of LACBA's California Conference of Bar Associations." She added, "I received the 2025 Gideon Award for Felony Attorney of the Year."
The LA Daily News editorial board endorsed Tryfman. The Metropolitan News-Enterprise editorial board also endorsed her.
On the issues
Trial experience and the bench: Asked what her trial career taught her about serving as a judge, Tryfman said, "A judge must ensure both sides are heard, rules are applied fairly, and decisions are based on law and facts—not personalities, politics, public pressure, or emotion." She added, "My motto is simple: be prepared, prompt, and polite."
Court access: Asked how judges can make proceedings more accessible, Tryfman said, "It starts simply: speak to people in language they understand. If someone leaves court not understanding the judge's order or what they must do next, we have not done our job well." She said accessibility also means "providing interpreters, disability accommodations, understandable materials, and alternatives for people without internet."
Court backlog: Asked about challenges facing the court, Tryfman said, "The greatest challenge facing our courts is the backlog. Justice delayed is not an abstract problem—it is a human one." She said judges should embrace "mediation, technology, improved scheduling, and better coordination" but cautioned, "Efficiency cannot mean moving people through court faster. The goal is not to process cases. The goal is to deliver justice."
Candidate responses come from a Surround Sound News questionnaire completed Friday, Oct. 2. Responses are edited for length. Read the full questionnaire responses on our website.
