Judge lost election but got new seat

Dzintra I. Janavs, the Los Angeles County Superior Court judge who Thursday blocked legislation giving Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa partial control of city schools, gained notoriety during the June election when she was unseated by a Manhattan Beach bagel shop owner with little legal experience.

Janavs, a 20-year veteran of the bench, lost by almost eight percentage points to Lynn Diane Olson amid speculation that perhaps her name, which is Latvian, had been a factor in some voters’ minds.

Less than 72 hours after the loss, however, Janavs -- a Republican -- was reappointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to a vacant seat on the bench.

The “election’s unfortunate result should not rob California of a fine jurist,” proclaimed the governor, who was also dealt a blow by Janavs’ ruling Thursday.

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-- Carla Rivera