Here’s the newest person to sit on the Merced County bench

The newest Merced County Courthouse commissioner was recently named, according to a news release.

Steven Slocum, the supervising deputy district attorney for Merced County, is the county’s newest court commissioner, according to the news release.

The 41-year-old earned his undergraduate degree from UCLA and his law degree from Pepperdine University, the release said.

Slocum replaces Jeanne E. Schechter, who joined the Merced County Superior Court through a ceremony in December. She served as a court commissioner in Merced since 2012.

Presiding Judge Donald Proietti said that Slocum will “be a great addition to the Superior Court bench,” according to the news release.

Judges are appointed by the governor and serve a term of six years, before running for re-election. Commissioners, on the other hand, are hired by the court.

The primary duties of commissioners include determining ex parte motions, hearing uncontested actions and proceedings, conducting arraignments, hearing actions to establish paternity and child or spousal support, hearing small claims and infraction cases and issuing bench warrants for failure to appear.

Slocum’s first day as commissioner is Jan. 29, according to courthouse staff.

This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 4:06 PM with the headline "Here’s the newest person to sit on the Merced County bench."