The chief legal defender of the proposition, Attorney General Dan Lungren, was less upbeat.
Judge Lerner, a Democrat, is a former chief public defender for Philadelphia.
It was the second year in a row the bill, introduced by the chief public defender's office, died in the Capitol.
They became the chief defenders of the Dalai and Panchen Lamas.
Most chief public defenders are appointed.
Prior to that, Bell had been one of Hutchins' chief defenders in several struggles with state legislators concerning academic freedom in the 1930s and 1940s.
Mr. Denvir is the chief Federal public defender here.
Rowan was the chief defender of the measure, and after his impassioned speech on the night of December 24, 1824, it passed by simple majority.
Or Kenneth Clayman, the chief public defender in Ventura County.
"I would have to put my faith that the judiciary will operate independent of the political process," said Gerard A. Smyth, the state's chief public defender.