Gossip Column

The Gossip According to Matthew

Matt White

Marin County judicial news. With the impending retirement of Judge Roy Chernus, there will soon be a vacancy on the 12-member Marin County bench. Judge Beverly Wood has let slip her plans to retire soon after 10 years on the bench. Incoming Presiding Judge Mark Talamantes is no doubt hard at work amending the judicial assignment card for next year.

On a more somber note, our community mourns the recent loss of three retired Marin County judges. Beverly Bloch Savitt, who became the first female Superior Court judge in Marin in 1983, died in late June. She was 97 years old. William Stephens, the first African-American judge in Marin, died at 88 in May. Vernon Smith retired in 2007 after 25 years as a court commissioner, municipal court judge, and superior court judge. He died in late July. Our condolences to friends and families.

Speaking of judgeships. Tom Weathers has been appointed the first tribal judge for the Elen Indian Colony’s new court system in Lake County. Tom practices Indian law for sovereign nations across the country, as an attorney for tribal authorities, prosecutor, and judge.

What are they serving at board meetings? MCBA board director Neusha Ghaedi is engaged to be married. The groom-to-be is known but not yet the date or venue. Neusha is a partner at DeMartini Walker & Ghaedi LLP in San Rafael. And MCBA board member Chelsea Heaney, of Vance & Willis PC, got herself married in June. Flowers all around!

Leaders among us. Former MCBA board member Marie Barnes has ascended to the presidency of the Richard M. Sangster American Inn of Court for the 2023-24 term. The Inn, which comprises lawyers from Marin, Napa, and Sonoma County, meets monthly to promote civility, excellence in advocacy, mentorship, and the consumption of good food and fine wine. Former MCBA president Jessica Karner has signed on as the Inn’s Marin County membership chair.

We’re rich! Hats off to Andres Perez, of the Marin County District Attorney’s office. Andy and a team of California prosecutors sued a dietary supplement company over false claims about health benefits. The company agreed to pay over $1 million, including $85,000 to Marin County. Way to go, Andy!

We made it to the 21st century…I think. The Marin Courts finally rolled out its new case management software system, which should make life easier for those who seek information online. Credit to Marin County courts CEO James Kim, who overcame financial constraints and institutional neophobia to make this happen after so many years. This writer, alas, cannot figure out how to view filed documents online. One hopes that this option will be available soon-- or, if already exists, that someone will politely show me how.

Politicians among us. Congrats to MCBA member Caroline Joachim, who was recently elected by an overwhelming margin to the Mill Valley City Council. Caroline joins a long list of past and present MCBA lawyers serving on municipal and county councils, including former San Rafael councilperson and current assemblyperson Damon Connolly, county supervisor (and MCBA board member) Mary Sackett, Sausalito councilmember Jill James Hoffman, Larkspur councilmember Scot Candell, and Tiburon councilmember Holli Thier. Saving the best for last, of course, past MCBA president Elizabeth Brekhus yields the mayor’s gavel on the Ross Town Council. Have I missed anyone?

NOTE TO READERS: This is all the gossip I could think up on my own. If you don’t feed me items, this column dies. Have you or another MCBA member achieved an impressive court victory, or participated in a grueling sporting match, or gotten married or had children? Have you been appointed by anybody to any post? Moved from one firm to another? Started an outside business? Acted or sang in a stage production? Got a musical gig coming up? Please send the info to mwhite@montywhitelaw.com

Matt White, a principal of Monty White LLP, is a personal injury attorney and mediator. Matt has held every leadership position of the Marin County Bar Association, including election as President He was the president of the Marin Trial Lawyers Association and of the Inns of Court for Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties