Kathryn M. Werdegar
Supreme Court of California
Judicial Experience: The Honorable Kathryn M. Werdegar was appointed to the California Supreme Court by Governor Pete Wilson on May 3, 1994. In November 2002, she was re-elected to a new term of office. Prior to her elevation to the Supreme Court, she served on the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco.
Education: Justice Werdegar commenced her law studies at the University of California School of Law (Boalt Hall), where she was first in her class and the first woman to be elected editor-in-chief of the California Law Review. She completed her law studies at George Washington University, where she graduated first in her class. She received her B.A. (with honors) from the University of California at Berkeley.
Career Highlights: Before her appointment to the bench, Justice Werdegar's career highlights included service with the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.; director of the criminal law division of California Continuing Education of the Bar; senior staff attorney with the California Court of Appeal and the California Supreme Court; and professor and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs at the University of San Francisco School of Law.
Honors and Awards: Justice Werdegar was appointed Regents' Lecturer at the University of California at Berkeley, 2000. She is the recipient of the University of California School of Law (Boalt Hall) Citation Award (Boalt Hall's highest honor), 2002; the Consumer Attorneys of California Justice of the Year Award, 1998; the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles Appellate Justice of the Year Award, 1996; the California Alumni Association Excellence in Achievement Award, 1996; the George Washington University Law Alumni Association Distinguished Public Service Award, 1996; and the George Washington University School of Law Charles Glover Award for Highest Achievement in the Field of Law, 1962.
- Justice
- Supreme Court of California
- - Current
- Judge
- First District Court of Appeals, California
- University of California - Berkeley
- B.A.
- Honors: with honors
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- University of California - Berkeley
- started J.D. | Law
- Honors: first in class, first woman to be elected editor-in-chief of the California Law Review
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- The George Washington University Law School
- J.D. | Law
- Honors: first in class
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- Citation Award (Boalt Hall's highest honor)
- University of California School of Law (Boalt Hall)
- Regents' Lecturer
- University of California at Berkeley
- Justice of the Year Award
- Consumer Attorneys of California
- Appellate Justice of the Year Award
- Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
- Excellence in Achievement Award
- California Alumni Association
- American Law Institute
- Member
- Current
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- National Association of Women Judges
- Member
- Current
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- California/Nevada Women Judges Association
- Member
- Current
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- California Judges Association
- Member
- Current
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- California Supreme Court Historical Society
- Board Member and Past President
- Current
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