Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye

Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye was California’s first Chief Justice of color and the second woman appointed to lead its judiciary. Her tenure was framed by the effects of the Great Recession at the beginning of her term and the Global Pandemic at the end. She successfully advocated for adequate, sustainable funding for court operations; reforms of court funding models, fees, and procedures that unfairly impact the poor; transparency and accountability in judicial branch funding and operations; diversity and inclusion in the legal profession; and the role of civic education and engagement in sustaining public trust and confidence in the judicial system. For that work, Cantil-Sakauye was honored with the Sandra Day O’Connor Award for the Advancement of Civics Education by the National Center for State Courts.

Announcing her retirement, Cantil-Sakauye said, “My first interaction with our justice system was when my family faced eviction from our home and my mother felt helpless. As the daughter of farmworkers, I experienced in my community what it was like to stand up for your rights and demand protections. As a wife I felt the impact of unjust Japanese Internment on my in-laws. As a judge I saw the devastating effects of family violence and established the first court in Sacramento dedicated solely to domestic violence issues. As Chief Justice I continued to keep in mind the faces behind the cases and remained focused on the goal of providing all Californians with equal, fair, and accessible justice.”

Cantil-Sakauye was a product of the state’s public school system before embarking on a 32-year career as a public servant. Before becoming Chief Justice of California, she was an associate justice in the Third Appellate District, a judge in both the Sacramento municipal and superior courts, a senior staffer to Governor George Deukmejian, and a deputy district attorney in the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.