The Honorable Judge Risë Jones Pichon served as a Judge of the Superior Court and Municipal Court of Santa Clara County for 35 years, retiring in 2019. She was elected Presiding Judge of both courts and as the first person of color to serve in that role in the Superior Court of Santa Clara County. Before her appointment to the Bench, Judge Pichon was chosen to serve as the Court’s first female Court Commissioner.
Following her retirement from the bench, Judge Pichon continues her service to the legal profession as a mediator and arbitrator with JAMS, Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services. She also serves as Chairperson of the State Bar of California’s Dispute Resolution Certification Program Working Group and is a member of the Santa Clara University Board of Trustees. In addition, she serves on the advisory boards of Santa Clara University School of Law, the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, and the Center for Social Justice.
Judge Pichon earned both her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and her Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University and has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University. She has served on the Santa Clara University Board of Regents, including as Chairperson, and as the School of Law’s Distinguished Jurist in Residence. She is a member of the American Bar Association, a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and an active member of the California Judges Association, where she serves as Vice Chair of the Retired Judges Committee. She is also a graduate of the American Leadership Forum.
Her involvement extends beyond the legal community. Judge Pichon has served on the boards of Catholic Relief Services, the St. Thomas More Society of Santa Clara County, and the Archbishop Mitty High School Board of Regents.
Her judicial service includes appointments by the California Supreme Court to both the Commission on Judicial Performance and the Judicial Council of California, as well as service on the faculty of the National Judicial College and the California Judicial College.
Judge Pichon has received the following awards: the California Judges Association President’s Award, the Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, induction into the Black Legends Hall of Fame of Silicon Valley, the California Association of Black Lawyers Judicial Award of Excellence, the St. Thomas More Award, the Santa Clara County Bar Association Outstanding Jurist Award, the Santa Clara University School of Law Social Justice and Human Rights Award, and the Santa Clara Law Owens Lawyer of the Year Award.
Judge Pichon is married to Ulysses and they have one adult son, Evan.