Donna Tryfman for Judge
Los Angeles Superior Court
Office 131
Fair
Decisive
well qualified
ethical
Experience you can trust. Judgment you can Rely on.
Commitment to Justice
" As a public defender, my role requires me to uphold the Constitution, protect due process, and ensure that the law is applied fairly, regardless of a person's background or resources. That responsibility demands discipline, careful analysis of facts and law, and the ability to make difficult decisions under pressure - skills that translate directly to the work of a trial judge. "
Experience Matters
Donna Tryfman is a veteran trial attorney with more than three decades of experience in California courtrooms and a career devoted to fairness, integrity, and the careful application of the law.
Donna earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and American Literature and Legal Studies from Brandeis University in 1989 before receiving her law degree from the University of La Verne School of Law in 1994. Early in her career, she worked at the Law Offices of Mark J. Werksman, where she built a DMV practice from the ground up, representing clients in criminal courts and in administrative hearings before the Department of Motor Vehicles.
In 1998, Donna joined the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office to pursue her passion for courtroom advocacy and public service. Since then, she has spent her career in demanding trial assignments across the county, including LAX, Metro, Huntington Park, Inglewood, Van Nuys, Sylmar, Eastlake, and the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
Today, Donna serves in the Major Cases Unit, where she handles the most complex criminal defense matters. She has tried more than one hundred jury trials involving serious and violent felonies and currently focuses exclusively on homicide capital litigation. Her deep trial experience gives her a clear understanding of the gravity of judicial decisions and the life-changing impact those rulings have on victims, families, and communities.
From 2015 through 2020, Donna served as President of the Public Defenders Association, leading statewide efforts to strengthen the profession and improve the delivery of justice. In recognition of her extraordinary work, she was honored in 2025 with the Gideon Award as Felony Attorney of the Year.
From 2016 through 2019, Donna served as Deputy in Charge at the Eastlake Juvenile Court, supervising approximately twenty-five attorneys and mentoring young lawyers beginning their careers in public service. During that time, she also staffed a collaborative drug court, working with prosecutors, treatment providers, and judges to help individuals struggling with addiction get back on track while maintaining accountability.
Donna has also served the courts as a Judge Pro Temp, presiding over traffic, small claims, and unlawful detainer matters. Beyond the courtroom, she is the current Vice Chair of the Los Angeles County Bar Association California Conference of Bar Associations, where she helps develop legislative proposals that advance to the State Legislature.
Her commitment to civic service extends throughout the community. Donna has volunteered as a teen court proctor at Dorsey High School and Hamilton High School, served on the Los Angeles County Bar Association Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee, and acted as Commissioner and Chair of the Rent Stabilization Committee for the City of Beverly Hills. She also chaired the Beverly Hills Unified School District Facilities Committee and served on the Criminal Justice Section board of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
A Foundation of Official Endorsements
Judicial Endorsements
Hon. David Wesley, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County (ret.)*
Hon. David Berger, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Wendy Segall, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Lisa Strassner, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Deborah Horowitz, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Victor Acevedo, Commissioner, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Robert Chu, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Patrick Hare, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. David Hizami, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Jessica Kronstadt Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Humberto Benitez, Commissioner, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Lou Parise, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Dave Stuart, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Michael Shultz, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Renee Korn, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. David Yaroslavsky, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Seza Mikikian, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Elden Fox, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County (ret.)*
Hon. Stuart Rice, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County (ret.*)
Hon. Holly Hancock-Goode, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Kathryn Solorzano, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Michael Weinstein, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Abby Baron, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Lucy Armendariz, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Scott Herin, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Lauren Weis-Birnstein, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Joseph Burghardt, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Mark Windham, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County (ret.)*
Hon. Gustavo Sztraicher, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Steven Morgan, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County *
Hon. Upinder Kalra, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Armenui Ashvanian, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Hon. Michael Tynan, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County (ret.)*
Hon. Lowyn Young, Judge, Superior Court, Los Angeles County*
Elected Community Endorsements
Steve Cooley, District Attorney, Los Angeles County (2000-2012)
Hon. John Mirisch, City of Beverly Hills, Council Member, former 3x Mayor
Hon. Judith Manouchehri, Beverly Hills Unified School District School Board, President
Hon. Russell Stuart, Beverly Hills Unified School District School Board, Trustee
Hon. Lisa Korbatov, Beverly Hills Unified School District, past President and Trustee
Hon. Howard Goldstein, Beverly Hills Unified School District, past President and Trustee
Hon. Myra Demeter, PhD., Beverly Hills Unified School District, Past President and Trustee
Other Community Endorsements
Larry Tract, *District Attorney’s Citizens Academy, First Graduating Class, Director, Florin County Water (ret.)
Dr. Myra Demeter, PhD. *Commissioner, City of Beverly Hills, Planning Commission
Dr. Scott Mayers, PhD. *private psychotherapy practice
Frances Miller, *Commissioner (past), City of Beverly Hills, Rent Stabilization Commission
Barri Worth Girvan, *Candidate for Los Angeles City Council, District 3
Dr. Helen Morales, *Executive Director, Rent Stabilization, City of Pasadena
Leaders from across California recognize Donna Tryfman's commitment to excellence and fairness.
Legal Community Endorsements
Ricardo D. Garcia, *Public Defender, Department Head, Los Angeles County
Justine Esack, *Chief Deputy Public Defender, Los Angeles County Public Defender
John Mathews, *Chief of Staff, Los Angeles County Public Defender
La Mer Kyle-Griffiths, Division Chief, Training, Los Angeles County Public Defender *
Rob Kayne, *Assistant Public Defender, Los Angeles County
Thom Moore, *Assistant Public Defender, (ret.), Los Angeles County
Marco Saenz, *IDCO Dept. Head (Independent Defense Counsel Office), Los Angeles County
Sanders Smith, *Head Deputy, Public Defender, LAX
Greg McCambridge, *Head Deputy, Public Defender, Torrance/Inglewood
Jackie Baskerville, *Head Deputy, Public Defender, Recruitment/Law Clerks, Central
Debra Werbel, *Head Deputy, Public Defender, Van Nuys
Marcus Huntley, *Head Deputy, Public Defender, Collaborative Justice
Casey Lilienfeld, *Head Deputy, Public Defender, Immigration, Los Angeles
Alex Karkanen, *Head Deputy, District Attorney, Los Angeles
Brian Schirn, *Head Deputy, District Attorney, Los Angeles
Scott Dominguez, *Assistant Head Deputy District Attorney, Los Angeles
Miji Vellakatel, *Assistant Head Deputy District Attorney, Los Angeles
Michael Fern, * Deputy District Attorney, Cybercrime, Los Angeles
Jonathan Chung, *Deputy District Attorney, Major Crimes Unit, Los Angeles
John Lewin, *Deputy District Attorney, Major Crimes Unit, Los Angeles
Rachel Hardiman, *Deputy District Attorney, Trials, Los Angeles
Jeff Megee, *Deputy District Attorney, Sex Crimes, Los Angeles
Matthew Bunnett, *Deputy District Attorney, Sex Crimes, Los Angeles
Jenna Franklin, *Deputy District Attorney, Sex Crimes, Contra Costa (former Deputy District Attorney, Los Angeles)
Justin Ford, *Deputy District Attorney, Habeas Corpus, Los Angeles
Jacqueline Greene, *Deputy District Attorney, Resentencing, Los Angeles
Karine Fong, *Deputy District Attorney, Filing, Los Angeles
Nick Marchese, *Deputy City Attorney, Trials, Los Angeles
Rob Krauss, *Deputy in Charge, Public Defender, Mental Health, Los Angeles
Jonathan Petrak, *Deputy Public Defender, Mental Health, Los Angeles
Harvey Sherman,*Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Pomona
Steve Giedzinski, *Deputy Public Defender, Major Cases Unit, Los Angeles
Felicia Mizrahi, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Ania Haigwood, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Sarah Weil Reback, *Deputy Public Defender, ODR, Los Angeles
Jill Janotta, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Gregory Buhl, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Alexandra Viksman, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials/DIC, Los Angeles
Peter Neal, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Constantine Tsoucalas, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
David Santiago, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Luke Rodriguez, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Zachary Begle, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Nicole Okung, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Michael Pentz, *Deputy Public Defender, Appellate/Trials, Los Angeles
Kareen Akry, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Adam Cohen, *Deputy Public Defender, Juvenile Justice, Los Angeles
Lloyd Handler, *Deputy Public Defender, Collaborative Justice, Los Angeles
Leslie Warren, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Brett Rayburn, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Robin Lev, *Deputy Public Defender, Appellate/Trials, Los Angeles (ret.)
Mark Harvis, *Deputy Public Defender, Appellate/Trials, Los Angeles (ret.)
Robin Berkovitz, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials/Mental Health, Los Angeles (ret./120)
Mark Russ, *Deputy Alternate Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Harvey Sherman, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Arthur Leahy, *Assistant Head Deputy District Attorney, Los Angeles
Lou Milkowski, *Attorney, *Commissioner, City of Beverly Hills, Planning Commission, past Chair of City of Beverly Hills Rent Stabilization Commission
Terri Kaplan, *Attorney, *Commissioner, City of Beverly Hills, Planning Commission
Mark J. Werksman, *Attorney, Werksman, Jackson & Quinn, Los Angeles
Alaleh Kamran, *Attorney, Los Angeles
Elliott Zarabi, *Attorney, *Commissioner, City of Beverly Hills, Public Works
Sam Yebri, *Attorney, Employment, former LA City Council Candidate, Los Angeles
Jake Glucksman, *Attorney, (former) Deputy District Attorney, Los Angeles
Brian Michaels, *Attorney, (former) Deputy City Attorney, Los Angeles
Jeremy Karpel, *Attorney/Professor, Los Angeles
Andrew Stein, *Attorney, Los Angeles
Carey Caruso, *Attorney, Los Angeles
Greg Brenner, *Attorney, Los Angeles, former Deputy Public Defender
Omar Abukurah, *Attorney, Los Angeles, former Deputy Public Defender
Ludlow Creary, *Attorney & Langston Bar Association President
Robert Schwartz, *Attorney, Los Angeles
Melanie Schoenberg, *Deputy Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Alissa Sterling, *Deputy Alternate Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
James Pinchak, *Deputy Alternate Public Defender, Trials, Los Angeles
Bobby Hill, *Senior Deputy County Counsel, Los Angeles
Organizational Endorsements
Voices of trust and integrity from the leading organizations supporting a vision for a fair and ethical judiciary.