Three judges have been appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to the Riverside County Superior Court to fill vacancies created by retirements.

One appointment announced Monday was L. Jackson Lucky IV, a county deputy district attorney since 1994. Lucky, 39, of Riverside, has prosecuted numerous Southwest Riverside County criminal cases and drafted the county's first civil lawsuit seeking an injunction against criminal street gangs.

Lucky, a Republican, replaces Judge Dallas Holmes.

Also appointed were John G. Evans, 54, and Jorge C. Hernandez, 45, both of Riverside.

Evans has worked as a sole practitioner since 2004 and from 1996 to 2002. From 2002 to 2004 he was a partner with the Law Offices of Evans & Plott LLP, and was an associate and partner with MacLachlan, Burford & Arias. A Republican, Evans replaces Judge Lawrence Fry.

Hernandez has worked as a sole practitioner since 1994 and as a conflicts panel lawyer since 2002, a position he also held from 1994 to 2002. From 1989 to 1994, Hernandez was a Riverside County deputy public defender. Hernandez is a Democrat and replaces Judge H. Morgan Dougherty.

The compensation for each position is $178,789.