The Ethics Center congratulates long-time Advisory Board member and friend of the Center Risë R. Pichon ‘73, ’76 JD, who will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree from SCU President Kevin O’Brien, S.J., in a virtual ceremony in June. The Ceremony commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which provided women the right to vote. Judge Pichon has been a Superior Court Judge for Santa Clara County since 1998. She previously served as a Judge on the Municipal Court from 1984 to 1998, and also as a Court Commissioner from 1983 to 1984. She received a Juris Doctor Degree from SCU Law in 1976 and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics in 1973 from SCU. Judge Pichon served on the California Commission on Judicial Performance from 1999 to 2007 and was Chairperson from 2002-2004, the Judicial Council of California from 1994-1997 and the Archbishop Mitty High School Board of Regents from 2000 to 2006. In 2008, she served on the ABA Accreditation Self Study Committee for the Santa Clara University School of Law. She has taught in the California Judicial College, the National Judicial College, and has served as a panelist and speaker on numerous occasions on a variety of topics related to the judiciary and the administration of justice. She served as Supervising Judge of the Palo Alto Court Facility from 2006 to 2009, and currently serves on the Santa Clara County Superior Court 2008-2009 Executive Committee.
Judge Pichon has a well-earned reputation for fairness, credibility and consistency, as evidenced by the many honors and awards she has received during her career, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association in 2019 and the Legendary Champions of Justice Award from the California Association of Black Lawyers in 2018. Judge Pichon is known among colleagues and attorneys for managing difficult situations and cases with grace and dignity.