Magazine Archive

  • Featured
  • November 2020
Probate: Moving Ahead With the Times, but the Song Remains the Same

Given the many transformations we have seen in 2020, the Probate department hit the ground running with changes early in the year. After a long and successful tenure, Judge John H. Sugiyama retired from the bench in February. Presiding Judge Barry Baskin, supported by Court Executive Officer Kate Bieker, foresaw the need for two full-time...

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  • Featured
  • November 2020
Juvenile Division 2020

The year 2020 has been marked by the unprecedented advent of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the shelter-in-place orders issued by Governor Gavin Newsom in March, each courthouse shut down countywide for over two months. Initially, there was a sole courtroom located in Martinez designated to handle very limited emergency matters. Effective March 30th,...

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  • Featured
  • November 2020
Family Law 2020

This year the court has faced many challenges. However in Family Court, the challenges have created many opportunities. Technology is being utilized to hold remote hearings and mediation by Zoom. The court has implemented contactless means of filing domestic violence restraining orders and other family law requests. The court closure has allowed the family law...

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  • Featured
  • November 2020
Another Changing of the Guard

Almost four years have passed since I took office as the Assistant Presiding Judge, and two years since becoming Presiding Judge. Every incoming PJ must expect occasional challenges on contentious issues, but two wholly unexpected challenges arose. First, the chaos of the pandemic demanded urgent solutions to complex problems, practically on a daily basis. Second,...

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  • Featured
  • November 2020
Criminal Courts 2020

“Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” –John Lennon John Lennon had it right—if it’s not the end, then we must endure, keep our perspective in check, and continue to hope that things will get better. Normally, this article would be devoted to case filings, assignments, and...

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  • Featured
  • November 2020
Civil Division 2020

There really isn’t much to report this year from Civil. Not much new or different. Same old, same old. I wish! Just as in all other parts of our lives, everything has changed and changed again in the Civil Department. And it will continue changing as we adapt to the new reality of providing access...

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