
On Saturday, Donald Bastin, Superior Court Judge Barry Goode, retired Appellate Court Justice James Marchiano, and current Superior Court Judge Rick Flier shared some history of the County and stories of Judge Arnason, a much admired and revered judge, for whom the Pittsburg Courthouse is named. Among many others, Judge Arnason was the jurist for the 1970s Angela Davis trial. Beverly Lane of Danville also shared a story of what it was like to face an early Justice of the Peace.
In the exhibit itself, apart from the history of the court system and the courthouses, many firsts are portrayed in the exhibit, including the first female judge in Contra Costa County, Betsy Rahn (Municipal Court, 1959); the first African American judge, George D. Carroll (Bay Municipal Court, 1965); and the first woman to serve on the Superior Court, E. Patricia Herron (1965).
The exhibit is located at the History Center at 724 Escobar St., Martinez, and is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the third Saturday of each month. The public is encouraged to stop by.