Administrative Law Judge

The Administrative Law Judge Division includes over 70 Administrative Law Judges and over 65 staff.

The mission of the Administrative Law Judge Division is to provide an independent forum that ensures fair, unbiased, reasoned, and efficient disposition of proceedings. The Administrative Law Judge Division embraces new technology and innovative work practices to continually improve our procedures.

Administrative Law Judges collaborate with Commissioners and other divisions of the Commission to resolve issues in a manner that ensures integrity, due process, and transparency, and respects the dignity of all participants.

The Administrative Law Judge Division is led by Chief Administrative Law Judge Michelle Cooke and the following Assistant Chief Administrative Law Judges:

• W. Anthony Colbert (W.Anthony.Colbert@cpuc.ca.gov) manages our work on enforcement, expedited complaint procedure, Section 851, Tribal issues, broadband, communications rates and surcharges, transportation, rail, public participation hearings, and outreach.
• Kimberly Kim (Kimberly.Kim@cpuc.ca.gov) manages our Records unit and our work on Alternative Dispute Resolution, rules, confidentiality, gas, decarbonization, environmental review, and complaints.
• Zita Kline (Zita.Kline@cpuc.ca.gov) manages our work on telecommunications licensing, energy procurement, and budget change proposals.
• Katherine Kwan MacDonald (Katherine.MacDonald@cpuc.ca.gov) manages our training program and our work on water, communications policy, citation appeals, General Order 156, and administrative enforcement orders.
• Brian Stevens (Brian.Stevens@cpuc.ca.gov) manages our Proceeding Support units and our work on energy cost of capital, energy revenue and sales forecasts, Power Charge Indifference Adjustment, electric energization and interconnection, microgrids, and transportation electrification.
• Ava Tran (Ava.Tran@cpuc.ca.gov) manages our Intervenor Compensation Program and our work on energy efficiency, low-income energy rates, LifeLine Program, Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program, environmental and social justice, and utility affordability.
• Stephanie Wang (Stephanie.Wang@cpuc.ca.gov) manages our work on distributed energy resources, electric rate design, renewable gas, departing electric load, energy safety policy, reports, and events.
• Peter Wercinski (Peter.Wercinski@cpuc.ca.gov) manages our work on energy general rate cases, safety and wildfire policies and costs, oil pipelines, and extension requests.

The Administrative Law Judge Division includes the following staff units:

• The Agenda unit is managed by Michael Ibrahim (Michael.Ibrahim@cpuc.ca.gov) and includes the Process Office and the Agenda team.
  • The Process Office maintains service lists for formal proceedings. For questions about service lists, contact ALJ_Process@cpuc.ca.gov or (415) 703-2021.
  • The Agenda team prepares the agendas for the Commission’s business meetings.
• The Intervenor Compensation and Administrative units are managed by Sarah Perrin (Sarah.Perrin@cpuc.ca.gov).
  • The Intervenor Compensation unit manages the Commission’s Intervenor Compensation Program.
  • This unit also performs the planning, organizing, and coordination of all Personnel, Budget, Facilities, and contracting inquiries for the division.
• The Proceeding Support units are managed by Desiree Liberato (Desiree.Liberato@cpuc.ca.gov).
  • The STAR unit provides clerical support and helps with publishing Commission rulings and decisions.
  • The Proceedings Analyst unit provides support for hearings, proposed decisions, training, and administrative projects.
• The Records unit is managed by David Binns (David.Binns@cpuc.ca.gov) and includes the Docket Office and Central Files.
  • The Docket Office processes all formal filings before the Commission, maintains the official record of hearings and documents within a proceeding, and prepares the Commission's daily calendar. For questions about documents filed in a case, contact efile-help@cpuc.ca.gov or (415) 703-2121. For help with participating in a proceeding, contact the Public Advisor’s Office.
  • Central Files maintains the formal record of proceedings and provides printed documents to the public for a fee. To obtain copies of printed documents, please use our online form, email ALJ_Central_Files_Staff@cpuc.ca.gov, or call (415) 703-1661.
• The Reporting unit is managed by Jason Stacey (Jason.Stacey@cpuc.ca.gov). The reporters record and transcribe the hearings held in formal proceedings. To obtain copies of transcripts, contact reporting@cpuc.ca.gov or (415) 703-2288.