CITY OF FRESNO
Offices of Council President Annalisa Perea and
Councilmembers Miguel Arias and Nelson Esparza
WHEREAS, on May 3, 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of Raj Singh Badhesha as a Superior Court Judge in Fresno County, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Jon N. Kapetan; and
WHEREAS, as a native of Selma, he has become the first Sikh judge in Fresno County and the first turban -wearing Sikh judge in Fresno County and the first turban-wearing Sikh judge in the State of California, marking a monumental milestone for the Sikh community, which numbers 70,000 in the Fresno County according to the most recent U.S. Census; and
WHEREAS, Raj Singh Badhesha is a distinguished graduate of UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings College of the Law) and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University, Fresno; and
WHEREAS, he has dedicated years of service to the Fresno community, most recently as Chief Assistant City Attorney in the Fresno City Attorney’s Office under City Attorney Andrew Janz, which he joined in 2012 following his tenure as an associate attorney at Baker Manock & Jensen from 2008 to 2012; and
WHEREAS, in his role as Chief Assistant City Attorney, Raj Singh Badhesha was responsible for overseeing the legal advice provided to City Council offices, the Mayor, the City Manager, and various City departments, managing a team of in-house attorneys, and supervising outside counsel; and
WHEREAS, his primary practice areas include planning and land use, real estate, inter-agency contracting, municipal finance, the Brown Act, elections law, and a broad range of related legal matters; and
WHEREAS, Raj was instrumental in numerous significant projects during his tenure, including the Veterans Boulevard Connectivity Project, the California High-Speed Rail segments in Fresno, the City’s master trails system, the implementation of the Measure P parks tax, and the establishment of an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District along the Blackstone Avenue corridor; and
WHEREAS, Raj Singh Badhesha is a dedicated member of the Fresno County Bar Association and the Central California South Asian Bar Association, and has contributed his time and expertise by serving on the Fresno State Alumni Association Board of Directors and as an alumnus of Leadership Fresno.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we, Council President Annalisa Perea, Mayor Jerry P. Dyer, and the Fresno City Council, do hereby recognize and honor Raj Singh Badhesha for his outstanding contributions to the legal field and his unwavering commitment to serving the City of Fresno. His expertise, dedication, and service have significantly benefited our community, and his efforts are greatly appreciated. We extend our heartfelt best wishes to the Honorable Judge Raj Singh Badhesha as he embarks on this new chapter in his career. We are confident that he will serve with the highest standards of fairness and justice, upholding the principles of integrity and equity that define his mission, and do hereby proclaim Thursday, June 27, 2024, to be:
“Raj Singh Badhesha Day”
in the City of Fresno.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto set our hands and affixed the seal of the City of Fresno, California, on this 27th day of June 2024.
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JERRY P. DYER, Honorable Mayor
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MIKE KARBASSI, Council Vice President District 2
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TYLER MAXWELL, Councilmember District 4
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GARRY BREDEFELD, Councilmember District 6
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ANNALISA PEREA, Council President District 1
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MIGUEL ARIAS, Councilmember District 3
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LUIS CHAVEZ, Councilmember District 5
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NELSON ESPARZA, Councilmember District 7