Riverside County Superior Court gets first female Korean American judge

November 19, 2014
Susanne Cho

Susanne Cho

Susanne Cho became the first Korean American female judge appointed to the Riverside County Superior Court last week.

Cho, 48, told The Korea Times in an interview Tuesday that she plans to do her best to live up to her title as the “first Korean.”

She said she had opportunities to take a position as a Riverside judge in the past but had wanted to build up her experience as an attorney.

Cho said she would take on the job doing her best to carry responsibility.

Cho was born in South Korea and immigrated to the U.S. when she was 8 years old. After graduating from UC Hastings College of the Law, she worked as a county public defender for 10 years.

Her appointment was announced by California Gov. Jerry Brown. Cho will replace retiring Judge David Downing come Jan. 9 next year and hold the seat until 2016.