Women’s History Month Inspirational Women African-American Female Judges in San Diego County

By Voice & Viewpoint Staff with Contributing Writer, Jeremiah Sanchez

During Women’s History Month, we want to highlight the incredible Black women who spearheaded the civil rights movements, education, government/law, the arts and many other life-changing improvements to the world, beginning with our local African American judges in the legal community here in San Diego County. The American education system focuses on history from the white male’s perspective, which fails to showcase the great women who were often at the front of these movements. Women like Roulette Armstead and Dorothy Smith worked hard to make the lives of Black people better but are rarely if ever talked about in the history books. This year’s list of incredible women is a reminder to look more closely at the history that is fed to us instead of just consuming it, and to also support and celebrate the Black women you see making strides every day. To read our publisher Dr. John E. Warren’s comments regarding this week’s issue, please see page 3.

Hon Ernestine Douglas Littlejohn

Administrative Law Judge (Ret.)

In 1974, Ernestine Douglass Littlejohn was the first African American woman to graduate from the University of San Diego School of Law. Her other firsts include: the first African American Deputy County Counsel for San Diego County and the first African American Deputy Schools Attorney for the San Diego Unified School District. Judge Littlejohn became an Administrative Law Judge for the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board in 1982, retiring in 2004. The numerous awards she has received include: The Salvation Army

Hon. Sharon B. Majors-Lewis

Woman of Distinction Award, the Women Inc Award, Mother of the Year Award and the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association for Distinguished Service Award.

Hon Randa Trapp

San Diego Superior Court Judge (Ret.)

The Honorable Randa Trapp retired in 2021, after serving 18 years on the bench. A native San Diegan, proud graduate of Lincoln High School, and a veteran of the United States Navy, she earned a B.A. in Political Science from San Jose State University and her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Prior to her appointment to the San Diego Superior Court bench, she practiced law for nearly 20 years, as a prosecutor with the State Attorney General’s Office, civil litigator, and in-house counsel with San Diego Gas & Electric/Sempra Energy where she also served as Assistant Corporate Secretary. During her tenure on the bench, Judge Trapp remained active in all aspects

Hon Tilisha T Martin

San Diego Superior Court Judge of her community, including as a past president of the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association, past Regional Director of the California Women Lawyers, formerly as a member of the Board of Directors of the California Association of Black Lawyers, and Lawyers Club of San Diego.

Photo and article: cosmos.cwsl.edu/cwwc San Diego Superior Court Judge (Ret.)

The Honorable Sharon Majors-Lewis (Ret.) was a judge of the Superior Court of San Diego County in California. She left office on August 4, 2021. From 2007-2010 Judge Majors-Lewis served as Judicial appointments secretary to the San Diego County Superior Court, from 2005-2007 as Chief deputy district attorney, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, and from 1987-2005 as Deputy district attorney, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. Majors-Lewis received a bachelor’s degree from National

Hon Elizabeth A Riggs

San Diego Superior Court Judge

The Honorable Elizabeth A. Riggs was the first African-American female judge in San Diego County and remained the sole Black woman on the San Diego County bench for nearly 22 years. Prior to her appointment to the Municipal Court by Governor Jerry Brown in 1979, she worked as a State Deputy Attorney General. She earned her undergraduate degree from Bennett College in North Carolina and her law degree from Rutgers University. In 2007

University San Diego and a J.D. from National University San Diego School of Law and is a Life Member of San Diego’s Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association.

The Honorable Tilisha T. Martin is a San Diego Superior Court Judge. She currently sits in a juvenile justice assignment involving cases of youth accused of violating the law. In addition, she handles several specialty calendars such as dependency drug court, mental competency of juveniles, and non-minor dependent youth. Judge Martin previously sat as the lead judge in a family law assignment at the San Diego Superior Court, East County Branch, and also handled a misdemeanor arraignment calendar. She served as the supervisor for minor’s counsel in San Diego and as a deputy public defender in juvenile dependency and criminal divisions. She was also the coordinator for the first col -

Hon Desiree A Bruce-Lyle

San Diego Superior Court Judge

Since her appointment to the bench by Governor Davis in 2001, Judge Bruce-Lyle’s assignments have included a Criminal Trial Department, Drug Court, Juvenile Delinquency, Prop 36 (PC 1210) Court, Superior Court Appellate Panel, and AB 109 Post Judgment Courts. Presently, Judge Bruce-Lyle presides over courts she implemented, including: Reentry Court, Mandatory Supervision Court, Post-Release Community Supervision Revocations, and Parole Revocations. Judge Bruce-Lyle’s pioneering efforts in collaborative courts and with the AB 109 population have earned her statewide attention. In 2006, Judge Bruce-Lyle served as Special Master for the Commission on Judicial Performance. Prior to her appointment, Judge Bruce-Lyle served as a Workers’ laborative community court in downtown San Diego. Prior to becoming a judge, Judge Martin served as adjunct faculty at California Western and as a lecturer at San Diego State University. She also served for six years on the California Western School of Law’s Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Compensation Administrative Law Judge from 1992-2001 and a Workers’ Compensation Referee from 1991-1992, and as Deputy County Counsel from 1982-1991. Born in Ghana, Judge BruceLyle earned her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Zambia, School of Law, and her Master of Laws degree from the University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall Law School.

Hon. Terrie E. Roberts

San Diego Superior Court Judge

Judge Terrie E. Roberts was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the San Diego Superior Court on October 25, 2019. Prior to her appointment, she served as a Superior Court Commissioner on behalf of the San Diego Superior Court, making history by becoming the first African American woman to be appointed as a Commissioner in San Diego County. Prior to her appointment as a Commissioner, Judge Roberts served as a San Diego County Deputy District Attorney from 2001 to 2008. In 2014, she was awarded President Barack Obama’s Call to Service Award for her continuous service to the San Diego community and

Hon Sherry M Thompson-Taylor

San Diego Superior Court Judge

Sherry M. Thompson-Taylor, 57, of Chula Vista, is a Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. Thompson-Taylor has been a Deputy District Attorney at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office since 1995, where she has served in several positions, including Division Chief, Assistant Chief and Team Leader. She was Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs at Angelic Entertainment from 1999 to 2000. Thompson-Taylor earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University

Euketa L Oliver

San Diego Superior Court Judge

Photo credit: lasentinel.net in 2008 was the recipient of the San Diego County Bar Association’s Outstanding Service by a Public Attorney Award and the recipient of the Community Service Award from the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association in 1994.

The Honorable Euketa L. Oliver is a judge for the San Diego County Superior Court in California. She was appointed to the bench by Governor Gavin Newsom on July 9, 2021, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Kenneth M. Kirkman. Oliver earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology from John F. Kennedy University. She then completed a J.D. at Whittier Law School. After graduating from law school, Oliver began her legal career as a staff attorney at Legal Services Northern California in 2005. Shortly after, she joined the San Diego County Office of

Hon. Vallera J. Johnson

Administrative Law Judge

Photo credit: gov.ca.gov of Arizona College of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Margie G. Woods.

Judge Johnson has been an Administrative Law Judge with the State of California’s Office for Administrative Hearings since 1990. She’s been recognized for her commitment to diversity from several organizations including the California Lawyers Association and Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association. Throughout her career, Judge Johnson has been instrumental in diversifying the bench and developing a pipeline of qualified candidates. In 2002, ALJ Vallera Johnson initiated Women of Color in the Law luncheons to give law students and young the Primary Public Defender, where she served as a deputy public defender until her appointment to the bench. Her memberships have included the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Foundation (president). lawyers an opportunity to network, socialize, and learn about the legal community, particularly issues experienced by women in the legal profession.