King Hall Alumni on the Bench Hold Inaugural Reunion

The UC Davis School of Law's Alumni on the Bench Association held its first-ever gathering at King Hall  October 24-25, drawing more than two dozen judges for panel discussions with Law School faculty, tours of university facilities, and a keynote speech from California State Senate President pro Tempore-elect Darrell Steinberg, a UC Davis School of Law alumnus, class of 1984.

Created to serve as a resource for members of the King Hall community and to promote continued education for California judges, the Alumni on the Bench Association organized the inaugural event around panel discussions of complex issues facing sitting judges.  The panels included:

• "State Bar Guidelines on Civility and Professionalism-the Judge's Role," an examination of new State Bar Guidelines on Civility and Professionalism featuring UC Davis School of Law Professor Emeritus Cruz Reynoso, a former California Supreme Court Justice; and the Honorable Loren McMaster, a Superior Court of Sacramento County Judge;
• "Scientific Evidence-the Judge as Gatekeeper," a discussion of how recent Supreme Court rulings impact the judge's role in overseeing expert testimony, moderated by the Honorable Dave Rosenberg of the Superior Court of Yolo County and featuring Professor Albert Lin of the UC Davis School of Law;
• "Marriage for Same-Sex Couples in California and Beyond," a discussion of the California Supreme Court's decision holding that denying same-sex couples the right to marry violates the California Constitution, with the Honorable Judy Hersher, Superior Court of Sacramento County, and UC Davis School of Law Professors Floyd Feeney and Courtney Joslin.

State Senator Darrel Steinberg's keynote speech focused on the relationship between the judicial and legislative branches of government and included fond remembrances of his years at UC Davis.  "I will stand with you as a proud alumnus of King Hall, 1984," said Steinberg, praising the Law School's sense of community.

Reunion activities also included tours of the UC Davis Genome Center and the recently opened Robert Mondavi Institute for Food and Wine Science, as well as a reception and dinner.  Attendees included the Honorable Gordon S. Baranco, Superior Court of Alameda County; the Honorable Mary Fingal Schulte, Superior Court of Orange County; the Honorable Dale L. Ikeda, Superior Court of Fresno County; the Honorable Joan K. Irion, Associate Justice, California Court of Appeal (Fourth Appellate District); the Honorable David Rosenberg, Superior Court of Yolo County; the Honorable Nancy Wieben Stock, Superior Court of Orange County, the Honorable Rebecca Wiseman, Associate Justice, California Courts of Appeal (Fifth Appellate District), and the Honorable Joseph Florendo '79, a Hawaii Island District Court Judge, recently honored as Hawaiian Jurist of the Year.