Past Events
The Fentanyl Public Health Crisis: A Conversation with Journalist and Author Sam Quinones. Moderated by the Hon. Trina L. Thompson. Monday, June 12, 2023
video to come
Reception Honoring the NDCA Winners of the Ninth Circuit Civics Contest
Celebrate the Judges
Images to come
Port Chicago 50: Racism and Review
During WWII, Black sailors stationed at Port Chicago, CA, were required to load munitions on ships with inadequate training and under supervision that stressed speed over safety. On July 17, 1944, cataclysmic explosions instantly killed 320 men (2⁄3 of them African American) and injured hundreds more. Unsafe conditions inspired hundreds of Black servicemen to refuse to load munitions, an act known as the Port Chicago Mutiny. Fifty men—called the “Port Chicago 50″—received convictions from that Mutiny Trial that changed their lives.
Members of the Contra Costa Bar Association’s Port Chicago Task Force and the Federal Bar Association will present a partial reenactment of the Mutiny Trials and discuss how this event, witnessed by Thurgood Marshall, became a catalyst of the modern civil rights movement, and about the ongoing efforts to seek the exoneration of the Port Chicago 50.
Sponsored by:
The Ninth Judicial Circuit Historical Society https://www.njchs.org/
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California Historical Society https://ndhistoricalsociety.org/
The Northern District of California Chapter of the Federal Bar Association
Common Mistakes Attorneys Make In Cross-Examination In Trial and In Depositions
On January 25, 2023, the chapter hosted a presentation by Senior District Court Judge William Alsup on how attorneys conduct cross-examination. He focused on an article he wrote in 2007 for the American Lawyer as well as an informal poll he took of the Northern District Judges regarding common mistakes attorneys make in court. The judge prepared several power-points to explain proper questioning to the sold-out audience of over 100 attorneys.
A Conversation with Judge William Alsup On His New Book—The Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald
On October 25, 2022, Senior District Judge William Alsup in conversation with Professor Rory Little from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, spoke to a packed audience in the ceremonial courtroom about the judge’s newest book. The book is an alternative historical tale about what might have happened if Oswald had lived to stand trial for the murder of President Kennedy.
The Continuing Struggle – Ending Bias Against Women in the Law and the Judiciary
On August 25, 2022, the chapter hosted a panel discussion focusing on how we can — and why it’s societally so important to — diminish the gender bias that, although lessening over time, continues to plague the legal profession, the judiciary and the courts. The Speakers and Moderator is each a ground-breaking woman of “firsts”, bringing their own important personal experience and perspective to the conversation.
Hon. Yvonne Gonzales Rogers, United States District Judge, Northern District of California
Hon. Marsha Berzon, Senior United States Circuit Judge, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Hon. LaDoris Hazard Cordell, Judge, Superior Court, Santa Clara County (Ret.)
Noreen Farrell, Executive Director, Equal Rights Advocates
Moderated by: Drucilla S. Ramey, Dean Emerita, Golden Gate University School of Law (San Francisco, CA)
In conjunction with the Women Attorneys Advocacy Project and The Impact Fund
Judging Implicit Bias In The Courts
On June 15, 2021, the chapter hosted the webinar, “Judging Implicit Bias In The Courts”: Legal discourse on implicit bias has changed the way scholars and citizens think about race in the justice system. Ever-growing scholarship has identified, confronted, and sought to address how implicit bias operates in nearly every criminal justice context. The discussion will explore empirical research about negative implicit bias and how it manifests in judicial decision-making, even against the so-called “privileged minorities” of Asians and Jews.
Panelists included: Hon. Bernice B. Donald, Judge, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals; Professor Justin D. Levinson, Professor of Law, University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law; Hon. Mark Bennett, Director, Institute for Justice Reform & Innovation, Drake University Law School, US District Judge, ND Iowa (Ret.); Hon. Elizabeth Lee, Superior Court Judge, San Mateo County, CA.
The Civil Rights Movement: Lessons Learned From the Past and Reflections For the Future
On February 25, 2021, the Northern District of California Chapter hosted “The Civil Rights Movement: Lessons Learned From the Past and Reflections For the Future”. Panelists included United States District Judge Thelton Henderson, Ret; United States District Judge William Alsup and United States District Judge William H. Orrick. Our moderator was Laura Hurtado, Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.
On May 16, 2017, the Northern District of California Chapter co-sponsored a program with the District Court and the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area in conjunction with the Ninth Circuit’s Civics Contest. A standing room only crowd of almost 200 people attended the program in the District Court’s Ceremonial Courtroom.
The program included (1) a re-enactment of the 1942 trial and appellate proceedings in U.S. v. Yasui, (2) a question and answer session with Karen Korematsu (daughter of Fred Korematsu, the defendant in Korematsu v. U.S., 323 U.S. 214 (1944)) and Dale Minami (lead counsel on behalf of Mr. Korematsu on the Petition for Writ of Coram Nobis filed in our District Court, and (3) a presentation of awards to the ND Cal winners of the Ninth Circuit’s Civics Contest.
39th Annual Luncheon Honoring Ninth Circuit and Northern District of California Judges
On March 23, 2017, the Northern District of California Chapter hosted its 39th Annual Luncheon Honoring the Judges of the Ninth Circuit and Northern District of California with over 450 attendees. Following addresses by Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Thomas, former Chief Judge Wallace, former Chief Judge Kozinski and Northern District of California Chief Judge Hamilton, our Chapter presented an award to Cathy Catterson. Following 40 years of distinguished service to the Judicial Branch, Cathy recently retired as the Circuit and Court of Appeals Executive for the Ninth Circuit.
2016 Ninth Circuit Civics Contest: “50 Years After the Miranda Decision How Federal Courts Define the Rights of the Accused”
The Northern District of California Chapter co-sponsored the District Court’s competition to identify three students to move on to the 2016 Ninth Circuit Civics Contest, “50 Years After the Miranda Decision – How Federal Courts Define the Rights of the Accused.” The Ninth Circuit Contest, which is sponsored by the federal courts, is an essay and video competition for high school students in the Western U.S. The purpose of the contest is to help inform young people about the Constitution and why it matters. The officers of the Northern District of California Chapter met with the participating judges and court staff during the initial planning stages for the local contest to help with the structure of the contest and outreach to prospective contestants. The officers also helped judge the 31 video entries, which was by far the most video entries from any district in the Circuit. In addition, the Chapter provided the cash prizes for the finalists and sponsored the celebratory reception which took place at the San Francisco federal courthouse.
