On Aug. 24, David Hood was sworn in as a judge of the Merced County Superior Court, returning at the governor’s appointment to the place where he had served in the county counsel’s office for three years.

Now, six weeks later, Hood is leaving Merced to join the superior court bench in neighboring Stanislaus County. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Hood’s new assignment today along with 14 other judicial appointments in 13 trial courts.