On Monday, March 23, 2026, The Mercury News reported that a dispute over a judicial candidate’s name has intensified an otherwise low-profile Orange County Superior Court race, prompting a legal challenge and raising questions about ballot designation rules.
The conflict centers on incumbent Judge Amy Sheth Sagel and her challenger, veteran federal prosecutor Charles Pell. Pell filed a lawsuit against the Orange County Registrar of Voters, contesting Sagel’s request to appear on the June 2 primary ballot as “Ami S. Sagel” instead of her full name. Pell argues that the variation is misleading and not the name by which voters have come to know her professionally.
According to court filings, Pell maintains that Sagel has long been publicly and professionally identified as Amy Sheth Sagel and that the use of a different version of her name could confuse voters. He contends that candidates seeking to highlight their judicial role should be required to use the name associated with that position in official court records.
Sagel, in response, asserts that using a middle initial is permissible and not deceptive. In her filings, she states that she has used variations of her name in different contexts over time, including Ami Sagel and Ami S. Sagel, consistent with personal and professional preferences. She also noted that her maiden name is Ami Harshad Sheth and that she adopted her married surname after her 2013 marriage.
The case has also brought forward allegations about campaign tactics. Sagel cited a past remark attributed to Pell, in which he allegedly advised targeting judicial candidates with “foreign-sounding names” as a strategy for electoral success. Pell’s legal team denied any racial motivation behind the current challenge, emphasizing that the dispute is about consistency and voter clarity, regardless of the name involved.
During a court hearing, Sagel’s attorney argued that election law allows candidates to choose how their names appear on the ballot, provided there is no intent to mislead voters. Pell’s attorney countered that accurate identification is essential in judicial races, where voters rely heavily on limited information.
The Orange County Registrar of Voters has not taken a position on the dispute but requested a timely ruling due to printing deadlines for the voter information guide. The case was assigned to a San Bernardino County judge to avoid potential conflicts of interest within Orange County courts.
Both candidates have extensive legal backgrounds. Sagel previously served as a federal prosecutor before entering private practice and was appointed to the bench in 2023 by Gavin Newsom. Pell spent two decades as a federal prosecutor, handling public corruption cases, and retired in 2025 before entering the race.
A proposed compromise, in which Pell would modify his ballot designation in exchange for Sagel using her full name, was rejected.
Source: The Mercury News
