More judges than courtrooms as veteran Stanislaus County public defender takes the bench
A judicial position created two years ago for Stanislaus Superior Court has finally been filled with the appointment of a longtime deputy public defender.
Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Marcus L. Mumford, 51, on March 25. He was sworn in Friday and assigned to handle family law and conservatorships. He will earn an annual salary of $214,601.
Mumford had worked at the Stanislaus County Public Defender’s Office since 2001. Before that, he was in private practice for a year and served as a law clerk for the San Diego Superior Court from 1997 to 2000. Mumford earned his law degree from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego.
“I am proud of my past service to the indigent community in Stanislaus County, as well as the relationships I’ve built with the bench and bar,” Mumford said in a press release. “I am humbled the governor has entrusted me with the opportunity to continue to serve the people of Stanislaus County and the courts as a judge.”
Mumford was honored at an NAACP event last week for his work at the Public Defender’s Office and for becoming the second Black judge in Stanislaus County.
“It’s important for Black youth to see Black professionals to see they can achieve whatever they want to achieve,” said Mumford at the event.
At the time of his appointment, Mumford was in the middle of a murder trial, defending a man who ultimately was convicted of killing a sheriff’s deputy. However, the trial ended April 15 with a hung jury over the defendant’s sanity at the time of the murder.
Mumford said last week that he couldn’t comment on the case because it remains ongoing.
He said he became interested in becoming a judge about six years ago. “I felt I could make more of a difference of the bench,” he said.
With his appointment, and with the completion of a new courthouse for the county still several years away, the court has more judicial officers than courtrooms.
“We now have 25 judicial officers, but only 24 courtrooms,” said Court Executive Officer Hugh Swift.
As a result, Presiding Judge Robert Westbrook will vacate his Department 7, which handles criminal matters, in order to focus on administrative duties. The family law judge in Department 25 will take over Department 7 and Mumford will move into Department 25.
Westbrook will fill in on criminal matters when other judges are on vacation or in training, Swift said.
Mumford’s appointment follows the election of three veteran prosecutors last year. All of them were elected to seats vacated by retirements.
This story was originally published May 17, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
