2002-01-24
PRESS RELEASE
January 24, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Judge Gordon S. Baranco Receives Judicial Distinguished
Service Award from the Alameda County Bar Association
Judge Gordon S. Baranco was awarded the Judicial Distinguished Service Award at the Alameda County Bar Association’s Annual Installation and Awards Dinner held on Saturday, January 19, 2002 at the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California at Berkeley. The award is presented for excellence in judicial service to the community, legal professionals and the public.
Upon receiving the award, Judge Baranco said, “I am honored to receive this award from an organization of the stature of the Alameda County Bar Association. I am also flattered to be recognized for doing (what I have always believed) is my job. I had the good fortune to be raised in a family where public and community service were not considered extra-curricular activities, rather included in our everyday lives.”
Judge Baranco was appointed to the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda in 1980 and has presided over cases in complex general and limited civil, felony and misdemeanor criminal, family law, juvenile and civil law and motion. Several years ago, he was appointed by the then Presiding Judge to serve as the Chair of the newly created Community Focused Court Planning Committee, with a goal of attaining the California Judicial Council goals of improving access to and the quality of justice. His leadership, together with the efforts of the many public and private committee and working group representatives, have resulted in the development and implementation of a plan that broadens fair and equal access to the courts in Alameda County. Judge Baranco has continued in his ancillary assignment of Chair of this committee under appointment by successive Presiding Judges.
Judge Baranco was born and raised in Oakland, attending public schools. Judge Baranco attended the University of California at Davis where he received his undergraduate degree. He graduated from the Martin Luther King, Jr., School of Law, University of California at Davis in 1972. He was admitted to the California Bar in 1973.
Prior to his appointment to the bench, he worked as Assistant to the City Attorney in the Oakland City Attorney’s Office, Managing Attorney at the San Francisco Neighborhood Legal Assistance Foundation, Assistant District Attorney in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office and served as a Graduate Legal Counsel in the California State Attorney’s Office
Judge Baranco is a frequent presenter and instructor to the judiciary, the community and civic and professional organizations.
With a long and distinguished legal career, Judge Baranco regularly volunteers his time to support many worthy endeavors throughout the community, including those involving youth, the faith community and charitable organizations.
The contact for this information release is Barbara J. Fox, Chief Assistant Executive Officer at (510) 272-6504.