Governor appoints commissioner, defense attorney as judges in Riverside County

RIVERSIDE (Wire Service) - A court commissioner and a defense attorney were appointed to Riverside County Superior Court judgeships by Gov. Jerry Brown, it was announced today, Dec. 27.

David M. Chapman, 62, of Palm Desert and Mathew C. Perantoni, 51, of Moreno Valley will earn $178,789 annually.

Since 1983, Chapman, a Democrat, has served as a senior associate attorney at the law office of Thomas P. Anderson. Prior to that, he was a Riverside County prosecutor for three years, and a Los Angeles County deputy district attorney for two.

Chapman's filling a judgeship created by the conversion of a court commissioner position, according to the governor's office.

Perantoni, a Republican, has served as a court commissioner, who is generally restricted to hearing misdemeanor cases, since 2005. From 1989 to 2005, he was a county deputy public defender and a year before taking that position was in private practice.

Perantoni's filling a vacancy created when a commissioner position was converted to a judgeship on Aug. 24, according to the governor's office.