Maria P. Rivera

Judicial Positions: Associate Justice, First District Court of Appeal, Division Four January 2002 to present.Judge of the Superior Court, Contra Costa County, Martinez, California January 1997-January 2002 Assignments: General Trial Department (primarily felony jury trials); Supervising Judge, Family Law Division; Civil Division; Executive Committee, 1997-1999; Chair of Family Law Building Committee Activities, Awards, Organizations: Member, California Judges Association, 1996 - presentMember, National Association of Women Judges, 1996 - presentFaculty, Judicial College, 1997-presentPro Bono Judge of the Year - 1999Alameda-Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Ass'n Trial Judge of the Year - 2001San Francisco La Raza Lawyers Ass'n, Honoree of the Year - 2002State Bar of California, Legal Services Trust Fund, Advisory BoardLegal Services Coordinating Committee, Advisory BoardInvest in Kids (a mentoring program for at-risk children), Advisory BoardWardrobe for Opportunity (professional clothes for women of modest means entering the work force), Advisory BoardCenter For Human Development (organization that sponsors and supports alternative dispute resolution in the Community),Advisory BoardLatino Leadership Forum (organization that supports and encourages Latino youth who show leadership potential), Advisory Board Educational Background: Law School: University of San Francisco Law School 1971 - 1974 J.D. magna cum laude 1974 McAuliffe Honor Society 1972 - 1974 Recorder Prize (graduated first in class) Externship in California Supreme Court - Fall, 1973   College: Smith College, Northampton, Mass. 1966 - 1970 B.A. with distinction 1970 First Group Scholar Dean's List 1967 - 1970 Bilingual Tutor Professional Background: Partner/Counsel McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enersen (formerly Van Voorhis & Skaggs) Walnut Creek - 1981 - 1996Assistant U.S. Attorney Department of Justice San Francisco - 1979 - 1981Deputy District Attorney City and County of San Francisco San Francisco - 1978-1979Associate, Morrison & Foerster San Francisco - 1974 - 1978 Legal and Business Organizations: State Bar of California, 1974 - 1996San Francisco Bar Association, 1974-1978    Lawyer's Reference Panel Committee (1976)National District Attorney's Association 1978-1979Contra Costa County Bar Association, 1981 - 1996    Board of Directors 1990-1996 (Treasurer, 1996)    Finance Committee 1996    Fee Arbitration Committee, 1990 - 1994    Chair, Attorney Reference Panel Committee, 1992    Alternate Delegate, 1991 Annual Meeting    Women's Section , 1986 - 1996 (founding member, founding officer)    (vice president and acting president, 1986 - 1988)    Appellate Section, 1991 - 1996 (president, 1992 - 1995)Commercial Industrial Council of the Building Industry Association, 1993-1995First Tuesday Forum, 1988-1996; Chair, 1991 Personal Data: 1949, Visalia, CaliforniaMarried, two children.Enjoy cooking, fly-fishing, baseball and reading