Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Paul Marigonda, whose 16 years on the bench followed a stint as a county prosecutor and Scotts Valley Mayor, died Dec. 10 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 62.
Marigonda served as presiding judge in 2014-15, during which he led efforts to modernize the court’s technology systems, including an advanced court case management system, says Court Executive Officer Alex Calvo.
That inspired the court to rethink its entire system, adopting all its electronic case files and shifting to electronic filing of all documents, thus improving public access to court services and information, Calvo says.
“Judge Marigonda was particularly proud that although his background was in criminal law, he successfully took civil, probate and family law assignments and earned the respect of the attorneys who specialize in those areas,” he said.
Marigonda launched the court’s “Family Preservation Court” for parents with addiction problems and helped implement the court’s “Behavioral Health Court” for people suffering from mental health issues.
Marigonda also served as a Trustee of the Santa Cruz County Law Library and represented Scotts Valley as a member of the LAFCO, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission.
He was active in the California Judges Association, serving as vice president in 2019 and 2020.
Marigonda graduated from UC Berkeley in 1982 and Golden Gate University School of Law in 1986.
Presiding Judge Timothy Volkmann said that Marigonda respected the people who appeared before him and was always prepared for his cases.
“But, more than that, he was a source of knowledge and advice to his fellow judicial officers and an absolute pleasure to be with,” Volkmann said. “Our court will miss him terribly, and we extend our condolences to his family.”
Marigonda is survived by his wife of 31 years, Margaret, their sons Patrick of Santa Cruz and Peter of San Francisco and his beloved dog, Duke.
So sorry to hear this
I didn’t think Judge Moriganda was a fair and prepared judge. I had a case before him in 2008 with a female prosecutor from the DA’s office. The plaintiff didn’t even have to show up to testify. The police officer who was fired was allowed to jeer at me and make disgusted faces.
The judge and the prosecutor didn’t allow me access to evidence. And I was found guilty because I wasn’t allowed to testify on my own behalf. Not a fan.
May he rest in peace. Respect to his family.
We who do not frequent the Judicial system would not otherwise know about such a wonderful soul. Thank you Judge Marigonda, for such dedication to this community and fostering of integritous relationships within the profession. May your legacy carry on in the work so vital to helping others