Sikh attorney makes history as first judge pro tem in California’s Kern County

In a moment rich with symbolism and pride, Navraj Rai, a 32-year-old attorney and son of Indian immigrants, has etched his name into Kern County’s history by becoming its first Sikh judge pro tempore in California.

Sworn in last week to the Superior Court of California in Kern County, Rai’s appointment marks more than a professional milestone — it stands as a powerful testament to representation, resilience and the promise of opportunity. As a judge pro tem, Rai will serve as a temporary judicial officer, helping ease crowded court calendars and speed the delivery of justice, beginning in traffic court.

The weight of the moment, Rai said, only fully revealed itself during the swearing-in ceremony. As he looked out at a courtroom filled with supporters, the significance became unmistakable. This was not just a personal achievement, but a shared victory for a community that had come to witness history.

At the heart of his new role, Rai said, is trust — trust in the courts and faith in the justice system. He spoke of his excitement to engage with the public and to ensure that confidence in the system not only endures, but grows stronger.

Rai is one of 23 attorneys serving in Kern County’s temporary judges program, joining a court system that continues to grapple with staffing shortages. The county currently has 39 judges and eight commissioners, with one vacant judgeship, and a 2022 Judicial Council assessment found that Kern County needs 11 additional judges to meet its workload demands.

For the Sikh community, Rai’s appointment is a source of deep pride. Bakersfield vice-mayor Manpreet Kaur, who attended middle school with Rai, described the moment as a reflection of both shared roots and soaring possibilities. She noted the resonance of his journey, drawing parallels to earlier trailblazers and calling his rise a living expression of the American Dream.

Born in Los Angeles and raised in Bakersfield after his family moved from India, Rai’s path to the bench was shaped early by hardship. When his parents lost their business, young Rai found himself poring over foreclosure notices in sixth grade — an experience that ignited his resolve to pursue law and protect others from similar pain.

A graduate of Stockdale High School, the University of California, Davis, and the University of the Pacific’s law school, Rai earned his law degree in 2018. Today, his story has traveled far beyond Kern County. Messages of congratulations have poured in from across the country and around the world, overwhelming his phone and underscoring the global resonance of his achievement.

During the ceremony, Rai said he felt the community’s pride wash over him as he scanned the audience. In that moment, he realized the occasion belonged to something larger than himself — a collective affirmation of possibility.

Rai hopes his appointment sends a message not just to Sikhs or Punjabis, but to every resident of Kern County: that this is a place where people can grow, thrive and dream without limits — and where even the most improbable aspirations can find their way to the bench.

With IANS inputs