Risë Jones Pichon ’73, J.D. ’76 becomes presiding judge for the Santa Clara County Superior Court.
Risë Jones Pichon ’73, J.D. ’76 becomes presiding judge for the Santa Clara County Superior Court.
Risë Jones Pichon. Photo courtesy of Risë Jones Pichon.
Presiding judge for the Santa Clara County Superior Court since Jan. 1, Risë Jones Pichon ’73, J.D. ’76 is the first person of color to hold the post—in one of California’s most diverse counties. She has served as a judge for Santa Clara since 1998. She grew up in the segregated South and recently said in an interview with KQED, “It’s given me the courage at this point of my life to make sure people are treated fairly. I can’t say it’s best to treat everyone the same because that’s no longer true. Justice is not blind.” Pichon also serves on the advisory board for the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.