Candidate for
Judge of the Superior Court; County of Santa Clara; Office 11

This High-Tech Valley Needs a High-Tech Judge

Litigation in Santa Clara Valley is becoming more "high-tech" with each passing week and our superior court needs to keep pace. However, few of our judges have technical backgrounds, let alone engineering degrees. I believe that we need to elect at least some judicial candidates with technical expertise and experience to help diversify our bench and increase its overall technical capability.

Consider my background: I have training in electronics and computer programming along with degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Cal Poly and, of course, a Juris Doctor from the University of Santa Clara. I have practiced law primarily as a litigation attorney for 24 years. My education and experience has enabled me to successfully handle technically complex litigation, such as trade secret and unfair business practice cases, as well as understand and evaluate engineering details in construction defect litigation or specifications and manufacture of electronic devices in UCC product quality or suitability disputes. Further, as the General Counsel in a local publicly traded electronics corporation, I managed technology licensing, intellectual property considerations, immigration, contract, real property, labor and security issues as well. These are all matters extremely relevant to the current Silicon Valley legal environment and hence to our court system.

I have not limited myself to technical matters, however, and have handled a wide spectrum of non-technical cases over the years. Early in my career I dealt with domestic and criminal matters. Later, I represented home owners, home buyers, brokers and lenders and trustees in all manner of real property litigation. I have litigated partnership disputes and dissolutions, legal malpractice claims, stockholder derivative actions, and employee stock option suits, to name but a few. Currently I represent the correctional officers who staff the Santa Clara County Jail in all matters which arise from their public employment - civil, criminal or administrative. My knowledge of law enforcement practices and procedures is one reason I have been endorsed by Sheriff Laurie Smith, former Sheriff Bob Winter, San Jose Police Officer's Assn., Santa Clara County Correctional Peace Officer's Assn., California Organization of Police and Sheriffs, Citizens for Law and Order, and Crime Victims United of California. Another is my strong support of law enforcement, "Three Strikes" legislation and tough sentencing of violent criminals. As a matter of fiscal reality, however, I certainly recognize the need to treat chronic substance abusers, breaking the cycle of drugs and crime, to help these people become self-supporting citizens.

As a former Marine and Vietnam veteran, I consider myself tough minded. But I am also fair, honest and principled. I am a good husband and father, having been married for 20 years to my wife Sandy with four great children - one young man (also a former Marine) and three daughters who are doing well in life. I have therefore experienced the very worst and best that life has to offer and have formulated very definite ideas about justice, equality, liberty and the importance of an independent judiciary in our continuing quest to develop "a nation of laws, not men." Both my education and life experiences have prepared me to assume the responsibilities of this office.

One more important note: my career has been dedicated to the law; I have not sought political office or position nor formulated political alliances or entanglements. I come to the office completely free and unencumbered by any political obligation except to the people whom I serve in office. I am indeed my own man. And that is exactly what an independent judiciary needs: individuals who are dedicated to the law, not politicians.

I therefore ask you to compare my background, technical knowledge and broad experience with the other contenders for this seat. Because we truly need at least a few judges who are experienced litigators familiar with the local industry on a technical level, I believe that for Silicon Valley I am the best choice for superior court judge.