James F. Thaxter

James Ferris Thaxter is a retired Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District. He was appointed to the newly created position by Governor Deukmejian on December 6, 1989 and confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments on January 5, 1990. He was subsequently confirmed by the electorate to a 12-year term in 1990. Prior to his appointment, he served as a Judge of the Superior Court, Fresno County from May 1, 1985 to January 5, 1990 after being appointed by Governor Deukmejian on April 1, 1985 and elected in 1986. Before his appointment to the judiciary, Thaxter worked in private law practice, concentrating on business litigation and probate contests in Fresno, California from January 1960 to March 1985. He was a partner in Andrews, Andrews, Thaxter, Jones & Baxter from January 1962 to March 1985 and an associate in Andrews and Andrews from January 1960 to December 1962. Thaxter was a member of the California Judges Association from 1985-present and the Fresno County Bar Association from 1960-present. He served as President of the Fresno County Bar Association in 1976 and Secretary in 1965. He was also Chair of Fresno County Legal Services, Inc. from 1967-69 and past President of the Central Valley YMCA from 1974-75. Thaxter was a participant in the CEB program, “Preparing Now for Discovery Under the New Act” in 1986 and authored noteworthy opinions such as Putnam v. Clague, People v. Berry, Responsible Citizens v. Superior Court, and Silva v. Lucky Stores, Inc. He holds a LL.B. from Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, California (Order of the Coif; Thurston [Scholastic Honor] Society; and Phi Delta Phi; Associate Editor, Hastings LJ 1958-59); a B.A. from Fresno State College (now California State University), Fresno; and an A.A. from University of California, Berkeley. He graduated from Fresno High School in 1951. Outside of his professional life, Thaxter enjoys backpacking and reading. He is married and has two children. He is a Republican and was admitted to the California Bar on January 12, 1960, the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California in January 1960, and the U.S. Tax Court.