From left, attorneys Michael Lunas and Michael Friel are planning to run for the Lake County Superior Court seat currently held by Judge David Herrick, who said he is retiring at the end of 2012. Courtesy photos.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With one of the county’s judges indicating he will not seek reelection this year, a field of candidates is forming to seek his seat on this year’s ballot.

Judge David Herrick, who presides over Lake County Superior Court Department 1 in Lakeport, began indicating last year that he wouldn’t run for reelection.

“I haven’t made it a secret that I don’t intend to seek another six-year term, and I haven’t changed my mind on that,” Herrick told Lake County News on Wednesday.

All of the Lake County Superior Court judges are up for reelection this year, according to election officials.

Herrick said he realized potential candidates have been holding back on announcing plans to run in order to give him a chance to make a final decision.

He said he’s talked to some attorneys about it, and he understands their reticence to act until they knew his intention.

Herrick said he considered the matter carefully, and said he’s still determined not to run again.

By not going through the election process, Herrick called it the “functional equivalent” of a retirement, which will take place at year’s end.

By the time his retirement becomes effective at the end of 2012, Herrick will have served 18 years on the bench, giving him the longest tenure of the judges currently serving.

He said a more formal announcement of his retirement will come later, as the time for his departure from the bench gets closer to taking effect.

With Herrick’s seat coming open, some candidates are getting started on the campaign trail.

On Wednesday, attorneys Michael Friel and Michael Lunas said they’re throwing their hats into the ring.

Lake County News also contacted attorney Judy Conard, who indicated she is “very interested” in the position but did not specifically confirm she was running. Conard called Herrick a good, well-respected judge.

Friel, Lunas outline histories in law

Friel, 48, of Kelseyville, holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley; a master’s degree in English from the University of Virginia; and a juris doctor from Lewis and Clark, Northwestern School of Law in Portland, Ore.

A native of Eureka, Friel has been practicing law in Lake County for more than 18 years, moving here after he completed law school.

Since then he said he’s represented clients in a wide range of civil and criminal matters, and has served the court as a judge pro tem, special master and mediator.

He is an adjunct faculty member at Yuba College’s Clear Lake Campus, where he has taught English and political science courses since 1994.

In addition, Friel is a member of the board of directors of the Lake County Land Trust and served as that organization’s president for seven years.

He also has played, coached and sponsored teams through the Lake County Adult Softball Association and been active in coaching and supporting many youth sport programs in the county.

He and his wife, Kim, a dispatcher for the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, have a daughter.

Lunas said Wednesday that he had been waiting to make a formal announcement of his intention to run once he was certain that Herrick was not going to seek reelection.

With that assured, Lunas said he will be a candidate.

Lunas, 53, of Lakeport is now starting his 30th year of legal practice. He said he’s lived in Lake County for 45 years.

He received both his bachelor’s degree in law and his law degree from Western State University in Fullerton, graduating with honors at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Lunas was able to gain early access to law school, starting study in his second year of college. That gave him an early start on his law career.

His legal experience covers all areas. Most recently he said he has worked more in civil litigation.

According to his resume, he’s been a contract public defender, had an appellate decision published, and been an arbitrator, judge pro tem and appointed mediator.

Lunas said he’s been interested in becoming a judge for some time.

This won’t be his first time running for a judicial post. In 2000 he ran for the Lake County Superior Court Department 3 judge’s seat.

The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office said candidates must file a declaration of intention to run between Jan. 30 and Feb. 8.

That is followed by the period to file declaration of candidacy and nomination papers, which runs from Feb. 13 through March 9. Filing periods usually are extended about a week when an incumbent does not file.

 The department confirmed that both Lunas and Friel had taken out papers to file signatures in lieu of the required filing fees to run for Department 1.

Judges Richard Martin and Andrew Blum – sitting on the bench in Departments 2 and 3 respectively – also have taken out that in-lieu paperwork, according to the elections office.

The filing fees for Lake County Superior Court judges total $1,787.89 per candidate, the department reported. Each signature defrays about 55 cents, meaning that a judicial candidate would have to gather approximately 3,252 signatures to cover the full filing fee.

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