LAMORINDA DEMOCRATS TO HOST PANEL DISCUSSION: JUSTICE DENIED – HOW MUCH CAN WE AFFORD?

The Lamorinda Democratic Club's next meeting
on Thursday, March 13, will feature a panel discussion regarding the California
Court system. Like every other segment of state government, the California
Court system has been significantly impacted by the economic crisis that began
in 2008. Directly, the court system has seen its funding substantially reduced,
requiring the elimination of numerous staff positions and services offered to
the public. Indirectly, the judicial system has been affected by the state’s
need to dramatically reduce the state prison population and services to juvenile,
probate and family courts. Justices Mark Simons and Barry Goode will discuss
the implications of these topics.

Mark Simons is Justice, State of California
Court of Appeal, 1st District, Division 5. Since 1973 he served as a Deputy
Public Defender in Contra Costa County until 1980, when he was appointed to the
Mt. Diablo Municipal Court. He was elevated to the Contra Costa Superior Court
in April 1995, where he served as Presiding Judge in 1999 and 2000. In January
2000, he was appointed to the CA Court of Appeal. Justice Simons has devoted
considerable time to teaching evidence to judges, lawyers and law students. He served
as the Dean of the B.E.Witkin Judicial College in 1995 and 1996 and was an
adjunct professor of law at Hastings College of the Law from 2002-2004. He was
awarded the 2000 Bernard Jefferson Award for distinguished service in judicial
education.

Barry Goode is Presiding Judge, Contra Costa
County Superior Court. Judge Goode served as Special Assistant to Adlai E.
Stevenson, Ill. in the US Senate from 1972 to 1974. In 1974 practiced with a
law firm in S.F. until 2001. In that year, Governor Gray Davis appointed him
Secretary of Legal Affairs, a position he held from February 2001 to November
2003. Judge Goode was appointed to the Superior Court in Contra Costa County on
November 2003. He has had assignments in Criminal Law, Family Law, Civil Law,
and Complex Litigation. He served as Supervising Judge of the Richmond branch,
the Family Law Division and the Civil Division, and from 2011 through 2012 --
as assistant Presiding Judge.

When? 
Thursday, March 13, 7:00 PM                                            
Where?
Lafayette Library and Community Learning Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Boulevard,
Lafayette, approx. 20 minutes east of Oakland

$5 for admission. Students free.

More details?  Call 925-567-3367 or go to
www.lamorindademoclub.org for more
information.

Press welcome.