Judicial Profile: Department 59
Commissioner Joel Golub
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- Biographical Information
-
- Date of Birth:
- 1948
- Place of Birth:
- New York, New York
- Education:
- Northeastern University, B.A., 1970
Brooklyn Law School, J.D., 1973 - Pre-bench Legal Experience:
- Legal Aid Society of New York, staff attorney, 1974-1977: performed criminal appellate defense, including Writs of Habeas Corpus. Legal Assistance to the Elderly, legal director, 1977-1978: Bay Area Center for Law and the Deaf, legal director, 1978-1980. Opened his own practice in 1980 in San Francisco, with a general law practice in such areas as immigration, landlord tenant.
- Political Affiliation:
- Judicial Experience
- In 1993, Commissioner Golub was appointed to the Contra Costa County Municipal Court, which later became a part of the Contra Costa County Superior Court by virtue of court consolidation, in 1998. His primary assignments are traffic, small claims, unlawful detainer and juvenile trials, civil and criminal court trials and domestic violence and civil harassment cases. He has also served as a judge and traffic commissioner pro tempore for the Marin Municipal Court from 1986 to 1993; as an arbitrator for the Superior Court of Marin County, 1985-1993; as a judge pro tempore for the San Francisco Municipal Court, 1985-1993; as an arbitrator/hearing officer for the San Francisco Rent Board, 1985-1987; as a hearing officer for the State Bar of California, 1981-1984; as an hearing officer for mental health cases in Alameda County, 1990-1993.
- Current Civic & Professional Activities
- Graduate of California Judges’ College, 1993.
- Continuing Legal Education Faculty
- n/a
- Courtroom Policies
- Commissioner Golub rules from the bench whenever possible and has no preference between bench and jury trial. He tries to be equitable to all parties involved.
- Teleconferencing
- Not possible in department 59, has permitted it in Department 51.
- Briefs
- Briefing depends upon the date of submission and the circumstances of each case. Commissioner Golub will consider the input of counsel.
- Settlement Conferences
- Commissioner Golub encourages settlement conferences, which he personally conducts. He will speak with clients about settlement, but only with consent of counsel.
- Voir Dire
- n/a
- Jury Instructions
- n/a
- Sanctions
- n/a
- Decorum
- Counsel should stand when addressing the court and use the lectern.
- Court Reporters & Translators
- Commissioner Golub does not use court reporters there is an audio recording of the proceedings in Department 59.
- Computers in the Courtroom
- Counsel may use a quiet laptop computer at the table.
- Audio-visual
- The courtroom has a TV, and DVD which can be used a necessary.
- Cameras in the Courtroom
- News media still and video photography allowed so long as it is not disruptive to the court proceedings.
