Our Courts - Contra Costa County Bar Association

Year in Review
Hon. Judy Craddick
Supervising Judge
CIVil LAW
Just when we thought things
couldn’t get worse, THEY DID!!!
2012-2013 has been and will be
a year of tremendous change
resulting from our loss of millions
of dollars from our operating budget,
which, in turn, adversely impacts
every aspect of every service
we provide to the community.
It has been necessary to further
reduce staff, further reduce hours
which the Clerk’s Office is open, further
decrease services to attorneys,
litigants and the public in general,
despite the most parsimonious, prudent
management of the Court by
the Presiding and Assistant Presiding
Judges and the Executive Committee
(including accumulating a
reserve fund for emergencies which
was “swept” by the state). All this
causes a trickle down effect, and
there necessarily will be interminable
delays in getting matters heard
in law and motion, discovery and
trials.
Effective November 2, 2012, our
stalwart and much appreciated
Civil Commissioner, Judith Sanders,
after more than 20 years of dedicated
service, will no longer be with
us. All of her work will be divided
among the Civil Judges.
Effective January 1, 2013, there
will be a reduction in the number of
judges in the Civil Division to a total
of 4. Judge Barry Goode will become
Effective November 2, 2012, our stalwart and much appreciated Civil
Commissioner, Judith Sanders, after more than 20 years of dedicated
service, will no longer be with us. All of her work will be divided among
the Civil Judges.
the Presiding Judge of the Court.
Judge Judith Craddick will move
to Complex Litigation and will continue
to be the Civil Supervising
Judge. Judges Laurel Brady, Steven
Austin and David Flinn will remain
in Civil to complete the roster. The
caseload of 5 judges will be divided
among those 4 remaining (as well
as Commissioner Sanders’ work
mentioned above). In addition, the
4 remaining Civil judges will divide
the Small Claims and Unlawful Detainer
cases transferred from Walnut
Creek and Concord.
We are in the process of developing
calendars to accommodate
these new duties as well as our “regular”
ones. New Court Rules are also
in the process of being formulated
to cover the numerous changes being
made. As soon as we are able,
we will ask that this information be
published to keep you informed.
Another significant change is the
upcoming loss of part of our court
family - court reporters. Beginning
January 2, 2013, parties desiring a
transcript will be required to arrange
for private reporting services
for all short and long cause matters,
excluding those heard in the Complex
Litigation department.
We are grateful to our staff for the
tremendous effort they are making
to not become totally overwhelmed
by the workload. We are also appreciative
of the understanding of
attorneys and litigants to whom we
will continue to strive to give the
best service possible under the circumstances.
The bright spot is the generosity
and willingness of members of our
Bar who volunteer hours of their
time serving on our ADR mediation,
arbitration, neutral case evaluation
and settlement mentor programs.
Our attorneys are again stepping
up to the plate and suggesting additional
ways in which they may
help. Your CCCBA continues to implement
educational and other programs
which tremendously benefit
the entire community and Court. s
14
NovemBER 2012