FEATURE ARTICLE Brian López is the President of the Cruz Reynoso Bar Association. He can be contacted at brian.lopez@me.com.
Cruz Reynoso Bar Association Honors Judge David De Alba with Defensor de Justicia Award By Brian López
Brian López presents Defensor de Justicia award to Judge David De Alba
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his past January 2021, the Cruz Reynoso Bar Association (CRBA) honored former Presiding Judge of the Sacramento Superior Court, Judge David De Alba, as the organization’s third Defensor de Justicia (Defender of Justice) award recipient. The CRBA’s Defensor de Justicia award was created in 2017 in honor of Justice Cruz Reynoso (Ret.), the first Latino Justice to sit on the California Supreme Court. Recipients of the award unequivocally exemplify Justice Reynoso’s life-long passion in pursuit of equality under
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Jesse Rivera, Justice Cruz Reynoso (Ret.), Judge David De Alba, Judicial Appointments Secretary Luis Céspedes, CRBA Board Chair George Acero
the law for all, and in particular for marginalized members of our society. Judge De Alba joins former California State Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Dean Kevin Johnson of UC Davis School of Law as the CRBA’s past Defensor De Justicia award recipients. During the virtual ceremony, a line-up of distinguished speakers highlighted the life and contributions of Judge De Alba to the legal field and our local community with words of praise and congratulations from many of his fellow jurists, including special
SACRAMENTO LAWYER | Spring 2021 | www.sacbar.org
remarks from 2018 SCBA Judge of the Year, Judge Emily E. Vasquez of the Sacramento County Superior Court, current Presiding Judge of the Sacramento Superior Court, Judge Russell L. Hom, as well as US District Court Judge for the Eastern District, Judge Troy L. Nunley. Additional speakers included Judge Sonia Cortés of the Yolo County Superior Court, Judge Daniel A. Flores of the San Francisco County Superior Court, as well as Presiding Justice Vance W. Raye of the Third District Court of Appeal.
