The Willow Glen Resident

Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Jurisprudent: Richard J. Loftus Jr. says his experience as a lawyer will serve him well in his new capacity as a Superior Court judge.

Willow Glen lawyer finds challenges in new job as Superior Court judge

Richard Loftus learns to keep his robe on in the courtroom

By Christine Frey

Sporting the scales of justice on his cufflinks and tie, the Honorable Richard J. Loftus Jr. looks every bit the authority on law and order. However, having only been on the job for two weeks, he admits that he doesn't know all the rules yet. As of July 27, the Willow Glen resident has been sitting on the judge's bench in Santa Clara County Superior Court.

"I've learned that there are a lot of things I need to learn," he says, sitting in his chambers last week after finishing a three-day trial. Loftus smiles as he recalls a recent discovery: Appearing in court without his black judge's robe is a misdemeanor.

Although Loftus is new to the bench, he is very familiar with the courtroom. For 26 years he practiced labor and employment law, most recently at the San Jose firm of Littler Mendelson, which he opened 20 years ago. Loftus believes his experience as a lawyer will aid him in his new role.

With seven children, Loftus has had plenty of experience mediating disputes. But in the courtroom, he won't have his wife, Karen, there to back him up--or to offer a dissenting opinion.

Loftus is not overly worried about his judgeship, though, perhaps because the judicial application process was nerve-wracking enough. Four hundred questionnaires were sent out to lawyers, judges and other professionals who were familiar with Loftus, asking them to evaluate his practice. Because the surveys are confidential, Loftus does not know who received them. Loftus himself had to fill out a 54-page questionnaire about his background. Review committees conducted background checks, and Loftus sat through several interviews as well.

Loftus says this extensive process ensures that competent applicants are chosen. "By going through it, I learned it would be very difficult for someone to get appointed who a good majority of people didn't think was a good potential judge."

In addition to his experience as a lawyer, Loftus has volunteered as a pro tem judge for more than three years and was the 1997 president of the Santa Clara County Bar Association.

Loftus was appointed by Gov. Pete Wilson to fill retiring judge John Flaherty's position in Department 22 of the Superior Court. According to Loftus, Santa Clara County is recognized as having one of the best trial courts in the county. "I'm very honored to have been appointed to this particular bench," he says, munching on Jelly Bellies. The candy, which he often eats to relieve tension, was a going-away gift from a co-worker at Littler Mendelson.

Loftus will take his ceremonial oath of office on Aug. 19 at Santa Clara University's Mayer Theater; two of his sons will make speeches in his honor at the swearing-in. The new judge says he's looking forward to his future: "Each case is a new adventure."

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