Honorable Anita Santos — Department 2

Biographical Information

  • Education: University of California Berkeley, B.A. Sociology, B.A. Ethnic Studies University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D.
  • Pre-bench Legal Experience: Police Officer, City of Concord, 1994-1997; Deputy District Attorney, Contra Costa County, 1997-2008; Law Office of Anita Santos, family law, 2008-2012
  • Political Affiliation: Registered Democrat, Independent Thinker

 

Judicial Experience

Commissioner, Child Support, Contra Costa County 2013

 

Pre-bench Civic & Professional Activities

  • Contra Costa County Bar Association
  • Solono County Bar Association
  • Charles Houston Bar Association
  • California Association of Black Lawyer
  • Save the Children
  • My children

 

Current Civic & Professional Activities

Same as above.

 

Recent Publications

“Rules of the house if you want to survive your childhood,” a manifesto distributed to our children.

 

Typical weekly schedule

Court is not in session on Mondays. Three full days of short cause child support, paternity, arrears, and support enforcement matters (up to 75 matters on the short cause calendar each week). Short cause hearings are set on Tuesday mornings and afternoons, Wednesday mornings and afternoons, and Thursday mornings. Thursday afternoons and Friday mornings and afternoons are for settlement conferences and long cause hearings (court trials). Contempt trials are held on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month.

 

Courtroom Policies

The attorneys from the Dept. of Child Support Services and their staff meet with the parties and private counsel to confirm the facts and try to reach stipulations prior to the start of the court’s calendar.

 

Settlement Conferences

Settlement conferences are mandatory for any party seeking a trial date and are normally scheduled one week prior to the trial date..

 

Documents

Any document that is being offered to the court must be offered to the other party and to DCSS prior to the court receiving it.

 

Advice

Be Prepared.