Judicial Ruling Mentions Yolo Unity Bar
By Monica Cavazos Brushia: President, Yolo Unity Bar
Happy 4th of July!
Last week, we all celebrated Independence Day. Some celebrated with a BBQ, fireworks, or family gatherings. Others took the time to reflect on our independence and the troubling issues facing our freedom today. Now more than ever, unity is needed to protect our most fundamental values: justice and democracy.
Some may read this and think I’m speaking of the polarizing politics plaguing our nation. Perhaps. But today’s message hits closer to home.
Last week, Judge Samuel T. McAdam of the Yolo County Superior Court issued a 16-page ruling addressing the blanket use of Code of Civil Procedure section 170.6 by the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office to disqualify the only Hispanic judge on the Yolo County bench. I quote:
“This is the exact type of case which Justice Tobriner called out as an abuse of the law. The People have ‘papered’ the only Hispanic judge in Yolo County, disqualifying her from hearing felony criminal cases. Yolo County has a sizable Hispanic population. It has a 100-year-plus history of having no Hispanic judges serving the community. A reasonable person would find this deeply troubling. The problem is compounded by the fact that the People have apparently exercised its peremptory challenge rights in response to nothing more than an adverse legal ruling.”
The judge at issue is none other than Judge Sonia Cortés.
Judge McAdam continued:
“In 2023, Judge Cortes received the Judicial Award from the Yolo Unity Bar, becoming the first Yolo judicial recipient. The award honored Judge Cortes for her commitment to maintaining a fair and accessible courtroom for all in our community—especially the disadvantaged and those historically discriminated against. The Yolo Unity Bar is the largest affiliation of lawyers in Yolo County. The award is the most distinguished honor given to a judicial officer in Yolo County.”
The “papering,” or blanket challenge, of the only Latina on the bench is a reminder of the importance of Unity Bars throughout the state. Unity Bars were formed to protect historically underrepresented groups in the legal profession. We stand for diversity, equity, and inclusion—and we will stand together to protect our own.
The Yolo Unity Bar applauds the courage of both Judge Cortés and Judge McAdam.
