James J. Marchiano

Presiding Justice

Education: A.B. Philosophy, St. Patrick's College, 1965; J.D., U.C. Berkeley School of Law, Boalt Hall, 1969

Professional Experience: Partner in San Francisco and Oakland law firms, specializing in civil litigation, 1970 to 1988.

Judicial Positions and Assignments: Appointed to the Contra Costa County Superior Court in 1988 and served until 1998 as a General Trials Judge, Civil Fast Track Judge, Civil Settlement Conference Judge, Probate Judge, and Death Penalty Panel Judge.
Appointed and confirmed as an Associate Justice to the First District Court of Appeal, Division One, September 2, 1998. Served as an Associate Justice until January 25, 2002 when he was confirmed as Presiding Justice of Division One.
Retained by the electorate on November 7, 2006 for a 12-year term. Board member on the California Judicial Center Library Governing Committee, 1999-2006. Member of the Judicial Council's Jury Improvement Task Force 1998-2003. Member of the California State-Federal Judicial Council from 1999 to 2002.

Teaching Experience: Former Adjunct Professor of Law at Hastings College of the Law, Panelist for the California Continuing Education of the Bar, Faculty member for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Rutter Group Institute on Insurance Law, New Judges Orientation Program for CJER, Panelist for the CJA Alternative Dispute Resolution Seminar, CJER Faculty on Evidence for the Judicial Research Attorney's Institute, Civil Institute for Trial Judges, AOC ADR Conference, Faculty member for CJER's Satellite Learning for Trial Judges on Jury Trial Innovations (2001); Rutter Group Standards of Appellate Review.

Author: Law review article on concurrent causation in insurance law; chapters on trial conduct and jury management; journal article on alternative dispute resolution; consultant on civil procedure and evidence books and Jury Management Handbook; Co-author of CEB Deposition Practice Handbook; author of "Stories from the Bray Building” for the Contra Costa County Lawyer Magazine.

Memberships: California Judges Association, American Board of Trial Advocates, San Francisco Chapter, California Supreme Court Historical Society (Board of Directors 2005-2011), Robert G. McGrath Inn of Court (Founding Member), Italian-American Bar Association, San Francisco Chapter. Formerly member of San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa Bar Associations (served on bench/bar and education committees).

Honors: Trial Judge of the Year 1990 by the Alameda/Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association; State of California Trial Judge of the Year 1992 by the California Trial Lawyers Association for the development of an innovative alternative dispute resolution program. IABA Jurist of the Year, 2002.

Personal Data: Married, four children. Enjoys reading history, sports, and traveling to historic sites.