The U.S. Senate has filled another judge vacancy in the Central District of California, giving a lifetime appointment to a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge who is a former federal prosecutor.

Senators voted 62-33 on Wednesday in favor of Sherilyn Peace Garnett. She'll be the third new judge to join the Central District this year, with Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong sworn in Feb. 10 in Los Angeles and Judge Fred Slaughter sworn in April 22 in Santa Ana. 

Sunshine Suzanne Sykes testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during her U.S. District Court judge confirmation hearing on Feb. 1, 2022. Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM

Garnett is filling the seat vacated when the now-late U.S. District Judge Manuel Real took senior status on Nov. 14, 2018. The court has five vacancies remaining on its 28-seat bench after Judge John Kronstadt took senior status on April 1 and Judge Virginia Phillips took senior status on Feb. 14. 

President Joe Biden already has moved to fill the other three vacancies, nominating U.S. Magistrate Judge Kenly Kiya Kato on Dec. 15 along with Sunshine Suzanne Sykes, a Riverside County Superior Court judge since 2013. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Hernan Vera also was renominated on Jan. 4 after his first nomination stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee, but the committee rejected him again 11-11 on Jan. 20.

Sykes likely will be the next Central District nominee voted on by the full Senate after the committee advanced her nomination 12-10 on March 10, the same day Kato's nomination was rejected 11-11 and the same day Garnett was approved 17-5.

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Diversity 'on Both Sides'

Garnett answered a few questions during her hearing on Feb. 16, telling Chairman and Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin the judicial system is supposed to be predicated on the ideal that everyone is treated fairly, "and that includes individuals who are suffering from mental illness."

Garnett said she has tried as a judge "to make sure that individuals who elect to go to trial are mentally competent to do so" and also sat on a three-judge appellate panel that issued an opinion that defendants who represent themselves are mentally competent to do so.

"I think it's an important principle in terms of making sure everybody is treated fairly and if I'm fortunate enough to be confirmed, I will continue to abide by that duty," Garnett said.