Tani Cantil-Sakauye
Encyclopedia
Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye (born October 19, 1959), a Filipina-American jurist, is the 28th Chief Justice of California. Nominated by Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger
for California
's highest judicial office on July 22, 2010, and retained in office by California voters on November 2, 2010, she was sworn in on January 3, 2011. Prior to her current appointment, Cantil-Sakauye had served in judicial offices on California's appellate and trial courts.
, as Tani Gorre Cantil, she was raised in the Land Park neighborhood of Sacramento
and earned her high school diploma
from C. K. McClatchy High School
in 1977, her A.A. from Sacramento City College
in 1978, her B.A.
from the University of California, Davis
in 1980, and her J.D.
from UC Davis School of Law
in 1984.
dealer
in Reno, Nevada
. The Sacramento County
Public Defender's
Office had refused to hire her because she was too young. Later that same year, Deputy District Attorney Russell Hom (a future Sacramento County Superior Court Judge) recruited Cantil to come to the Sacramento County District Attorney
's Office as a Deputy District Attorney.
In 1988, Cantil left the District Attorney's office to become a Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary to Governor George Deukmejian
. The next year, Deukmejian appointed Cantil as a Deputy Legislative Secretary.
appointed Cantil-Sakauye as a judge of the Sacramento County Superior Court
. She served there until 2005, when Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
appointed Cantil-Sakauye as an Associate Justice of the California Third District Court of Appeal.
On July 21, 2010, Schwarzenegger nominated Cantil-Sakauye, who is also a Republican, to succeed retiring Chief Justice of California Ronald M. George
. On August 25, 2010 the three-member California Commission on Judicial Appointments unanimously approved her nomination as the next chief justice of California. The voters in the November 2010 general elections subsequently retained her for a 12-year term as Chief Justice.
During her time as an appeals court justice, Associate Justice Cantil Sakauye served as a member of the Judicial Council where she was vice chair of the Rules and Projects Committee, chair of the Advisory Committee on Financial Accountability and Efficiency for the Judicial Branch, co-chair of the Judicial Recruitment and Retention Working Group, and also a member of the California Commission on Impartial Courts. She has served as President of the Anthony M. Kennedy American Inn of Court, which is an organization for promoting civility, ethics, and professionalism in the practice of law. Beginning in 2007, she also served as a Special Master, selected by the Supreme Court to hear disciplinary proceedings before the Commission on Judicial Performance.
Lieutenant
. Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye and Lieutenant Sakauye have two adolescent daughters.
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's highest judicial office on July 22, 2010, and retained in office by California voters on November 2, 2010, she was sworn in on January 3, 2011. Prior to her current appointment, Cantil-Sakauye had served in judicial offices on California's appellate and trial courts.
Early life and education
Born in Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, as Tani Gorre Cantil, she was raised in the Land Park neighborhood of Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
and earned her high school diploma
High school diploma
A high school diploma is a diploma awarded for the completion of high school. In the United States and Canada, it is considered the minimum education required for government jobs and higher education. An equivalent is the GED.-Past diploma styles:...
from C. K. McClatchy High School
C. K. McClatchy High School
C.K. McClatchy High School is a Sacramento City Unified School District High School. It is located in the Land Park area of Sacramento, California, USA . McClatchy High School is also the second-oldest high school in Sacramento, having been established in 1937. It is currently the oldest high...
in 1977, her A.A. from Sacramento City College
Sacramento City College
Sacramento City College is a two-year community college located in Sacramento, California. SCC is part of the Los Rios Community College District and had an enrollment of 25,307 in 2009. Sacramento City College is officially accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges , offering...
in 1978, her B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the University of California, Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
in 1980, and her J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from UC Davis School of Law
UC Davis School of Law
The University of California Davis School of Law , referred to as UC Davis School of Law and commonly known as King Hall and UC Davis Law, is an American Bar Association approved law school located in Davis, California on the campus of the University of California, Davis. The school received ABA...
in 1984.
Legal career
Upon graduation from law school in 1984, Cantil was unable to find a job in law, so she became a blackjackBlackjack
Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un , is the most widely played casino banking game in the world...
dealer
Croupier
A croupier or dealer is someone appointed at a gambling table to assist in the conduct of the game, especially in the distribution of bets and payouts. Croupiers are typically employed by casinos.-Origin of the word:...
in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
. The Sacramento County
Sacramento County, California
Sacramento County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Sacramento, which is also the state capital. As of 2010 the county had a population of 1,418,788....
Public Defender's
Public defender
The term public defender is primarily used to refer to a criminal defense lawyer appointed to represent people charged with a crime but who cannot afford to hire an attorney in the United States and Brazil. The term is also applied to some ombudsman offices, for example in Jamaica, and is one way...
Office had refused to hire her because she was too young. Later that same year, Deputy District Attorney Russell Hom (a future Sacramento County Superior Court Judge) recruited Cantil to come to the Sacramento County District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
's Office as a Deputy District Attorney.
In 1988, Cantil left the District Attorney's office to become a Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary to Governor George Deukmejian
George Deukmejian
Courken George Deukmejian, Jr. born June 6, 1928) is an Armenian American politician from California who as a Republican served as the 35th Governor of California and as California Attorney General .-Early life:...
. The next year, Deukmejian appointed Cantil as a Deputy Legislative Secretary.
Judicial career
In 1990, Deukmejian appointed her as a Judge of the Sacramento Municipal Court. She left the Municipal Court in 1997 when Governor Pete WilsonPete Wilson
Peter Barton "Pete" Wilson is an American politician from California. Wilson, a Republican, served as the 36th Governor of California , the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that included eight years as a United States Senator , eleven years as Mayor of San Diego and...
appointed Cantil-Sakauye as a judge of the Sacramento County Superior Court
Sacramento County Superior Court
The Sacramento County Superior Court is the California Superior Court located in Sacramento with jurisdiction over Sacramento County.-Gordon D. Schaber courthouse:The Gordon D. Schaber downtown courthouse is the main courthouse of the court...
. She served there until 2005, when Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
appointed Cantil-Sakauye as an Associate Justice of the California Third District Court of Appeal.
On July 21, 2010, Schwarzenegger nominated Cantil-Sakauye, who is also a Republican, to succeed retiring Chief Justice of California Ronald M. George
Ronald M. George
Ronald Marc George is the retired 27th Chief Justice of California, where he headed the Supreme Court of California and the Judicial Council of California...
. On August 25, 2010 the three-member California Commission on Judicial Appointments unanimously approved her nomination as the next chief justice of California. The voters in the November 2010 general elections subsequently retained her for a 12-year term as Chief Justice.
During her time as an appeals court justice, Associate Justice Cantil Sakauye served as a member of the Judicial Council where she was vice chair of the Rules and Projects Committee, chair of the Advisory Committee on Financial Accountability and Efficiency for the Judicial Branch, co-chair of the Judicial Recruitment and Retention Working Group, and also a member of the California Commission on Impartial Courts. She has served as President of the Anthony M. Kennedy American Inn of Court, which is an organization for promoting civility, ethics, and professionalism in the practice of law. Beginning in 2007, she also served as a Special Master, selected by the Supreme Court to hear disciplinary proceedings before the Commission on Judicial Performance.
Personal life
She married Mark Sakauye in 1994, who is a retired Sacramento Police DepartmentSacramento Police Department
The Sacramento Police Department is the police department for the city of Sacramento, California. The department was created in 1849. The current Chief of Police is Rick Braziel.-History:...
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye and Lieutenant Sakauye have two adolescent daughters.