The local chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates honored California Supreme Justice Patricia Guerrero with ABOTA’s Judicial Officer of the Year Award Oct. 13.
The San Bernardino-Riverside chapter of CAL-ABOTA also awarded the Civility Award posthumously to Rich Scott.
Both awards were given at the chapter’s Judges’ Night and Fall Dinner Meeting, on the third floor of Riverside’s Mission Inn. Forty-two people attended the dinner, including 21 judges.
Patricia Guerrero
Guerrero was elevated from the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division One, to the California Supreme Court in March, 2022. She was quickly tapped by Gov. Gavin Newsom to serve as the next Chief Justice, after Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye’s announced retirement. Voters will decide to vote her into office at the Nov. 8 general election.
She started in environmental cases in private practice, and worked one year as an Assistant United States Attorney prosecuting drug trafficking and immigration violations. Then-Gov. Edmund “Jerry” Brown appointed her a San Diego Superior Judge in 2013, and then to the Court of Appeal in 2017.
When accepting the award, Guerrero stressed ABOTA’s missions of professionalism and civility. She said there is a collective responsibility to cultivate civility, integrity and professionalism among lawyers. ABOTA furthered that purpose when it lobbied for the addition of Rule 9.7 of California’s Rules of Court this year, she said.
Rule 9.7 requires all new lawyers to take a civility oath that reads: “As an officer of the court, I will strive to conduct myself at all times with dignity, courtesy and integrity.”
Judges should “demand professionalism and respect from all before us,” Guerrero said.
Rich Scott
Scott worked for Travelers Insurance for 25 years, and worked his way to senior house counsel, said Patty Scott, his widow.
Patty Scott said civility had been important to him. When he was ABOTA president, he put a civility plaque in every juror room in the courthouse, to remind the potential jurors of the need to be civil. He believed civility is about being respectful to every person involved in the case.
Rich Scott was a great all-around guy, added attorney Pauline White. “If you needed him to dig a ditch, he would come over and dig your ditch,” White said.
The event
CAL-ABOTA President Donald Carlson and Vice President Greg Rizio both attended. Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Two, Presiding Justice Manuel Ramirez and Associate Justice Douglas Miller also were present.
ABOTA Chapter President and San Bernardino Superior Judge John Pacheco was the master of ceremonies of the night.
He surprised Guerrero by hiring musician Raynaldo Martine to perform a rendition of her favorite song, “El Rey,” as arranged by Vicente Fernandez. Guerrero said it had been her favorite song since she was 2 years old.
He also surprised attorney William Shapiro with a recording of a song Shapiro wrote 19 years ago.
