Honorable Gina Dashman – Department 57

Biographical Information

Judicial Experience

• Pre‐bench civic and professional activities:
  o Pro Tem Judge, Settlement Mentor, Discovery Facilitator
  o Co-founder and Steering Committee: Bay Area Women Lawyers Retreat “BAWLR” (2019-2021)
  o President: Women Lawyers of Alameda County (2018-2019)
  o Board Member: Contra Costa County Bar Association (2018-2019); Chair, Governance Committee
  o Board of Governors: California Women Lawyers (2016-2018); “So You Wanna Be a Judge,”  Program Chair; Rose Bird Award, Program Chair
  o Treasurer: CCCBA/Women’s Section (2013-2015)
  o Volunteer Judge: Appellate Advocacy Competition, Berkeley Law
  o Volunteer Coach: Mediation and Negotiation Skills, UC Hastings School of Law
• Current civic and professional activities:
  o Government Committee, CCCBA
  o Member, California Judges Association
  o Volunteer Judge: Contra Costa County High Schools Moot Court Competition (2021)
  o Member, National Association of Women Judges
• Continuing legal education faculty:
  o Trainer, UD law and Civil Harassment Law to Pro Tem Judges
• Important published decision(s)
  o Cohen v. McIntyre (1993) 16 Cal. App. 4th 650
  o Williams v. Superior Court (2021) 71 Cal. App. 5th 101
• Recent publications:
  o CEB, Neighbor Disputes, Law and Litigation, (originally published 2013 and updated annually): Chapter 3, “Earth Movement: Landslide, Subsidence and Drainage”

Courtroom Policies

• Rules from bench except in small claims cases
• Prefers in person hearings and trials
• Preference for parties to engage in mediation prior to trial
• Typical weekly schedule:
  o Civil discovery law and motion: Wednesdays and Fridays 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
  o Civil discovery ex parte applications: Daily at 11:00 a.m. by submission only
  o Civil Harassment (and other non-domestic violence restraining orders): daily at 1:30 p.m.
  o Small claims: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 1:30 p.m.
  o Unlawful Detainer: Wednesday and Friday at 1:30 p.m.
• Teleconferencing:
  o Zoom and telephonic appearance upon written request
• Motions:
  o Civil Law and Motion only: normal briefing schedule with tentative rulings the day before. Email department and opposing sides by 4:00 p.m. the day before the hearing if you intend to argue identifying specific issues you plan to present.
• Briefs:
  o Conciseness and headings appreciated
• Discovery:
  o Per code
• Settlement conferences:
  o Not applicable
• ADR:
  o Congress of Neutrals is available every afternoon to offer mediation services. Strong preference for mediation prior to hearings.
• In limine motions:
  o Not applicable
• Voir dire:
  o Not applicable
• Jury instructions:
  o Not applicable
• Witnesses:
  o Live witness testimony permitted but court will determine if witness testimony is duplicative and will limit witnesses in certain cases
• Sanctions:
  o Yes, in discovery disputes
• Documents:
  o Preference is to exchange documents in advance, but same day exchange is required prior to hearing
• Decorum:
  o Demonstrate respect, patience and courtesy to others and the court
• Court reporters and translators:
  o Electronic recording (no live court reporters needed)
  o Translators, as needed
• Computers in the courtroom:
  o No restrictions if used for Power Point presentation, displaying evidence, checking calendars
• Audio‐visual:
  o None available. If parties wish to display audio or video recording, please bring your own device
• Cameras in the courtroom:
  o Per local rules
• Advice:
  o Come prepared and willing to mediate
  o Attorneys’ fees motions on noticed motion only
  o Avoid interruptions
  o Respect the process and the people involved