Magazine Archive
Exciting Times
What a difference a year makes. Last year my only aspirations were to oversee sweetening the paychecks of the Court’s hard working employees and to improve services, including moving towards a new case management system. We made progress on those goals and saw many other developments as well. One of the most gratifying events was...
Read ArticleCivil Division Update (2017)
As most of you probably know, one of our Civil Division judges, Hon. George Spanos, retired earlier this year, and we were fortunate to have Hon. Charles “Steve” Treat join us. Before his appointment to the Bench, Judge Treat clerked on the Fifth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court for Justice William Brennan. He, thereafter,...
Read ArticleA Year of Changes in Juvenile (2017)
The big news for the juvenile bench and its justice partners in 2017 is the move from the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse in Martinez to the Walnut Creek Courthouse. On August 14, 2017, the juvenile bench (other than Judge Fenstermacher) was officially relocated. Now, all child welfare cases brought under Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC), Section...
Read ArticleKeeping the Court Safe and Orderly
Court Security staff are responsible for the safety and protection of the judges, attorneys, court employees, and the public. Security staff works in a variety of assignments that range from weapons screening, courtroom bailiffs, court attendants, inmate supervision, and escort duties.
Read Article2017 Review - Probate Division
If it were staffed by mere mortals, the Probate Department would have collapsed 2,271 days ago. Fortunately for us all, Courtroom Clerk Shannon Perry, Probate Examiners Linda Suppanich and Erica Gillies, Bailiff Melissa O’Reilley, Probate Facilitator Nicholas Vaca, and former Research Attorney Janet Li are not constrained by the kinds of limitations that the rest...
Read ArticleDue to the Efforts of So Many
Welcome to the Bench/Bar edition of the Contra Costa Lawyer for 2017. Consistent with tradition, included are updates from our court’s supervising judges regarding developments in the areas of court that they manage. Also, as in prior editions, we feature conversations introducing the court’s two newest judges. Beyond these typical articles, in this edition we...
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