The Bay Area News Group asked both candidates in the race for a judgeship in the Santa Clara County Superior Court — Jay Boyarsky, second-in-command for Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, and Johnene Stebbins, a longtime deputy district attorney — to provide character references.
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For Stebbins, that included veteran deputy public defender Jaime Alvarez, Ford, and Angela Guardino, a sexual assault survivor who was represented by Stebbins in the prosecution of her attacker.
Alvarez called Stebbins “one of the smartest DA’s I’ve dealt with,” and that “I feel like she would give our clients a fair shake.” Ford said she valued Stebbins reaching out to her after the primary, and that their subsequent contacts gave her insight that spurred her endorsement.
“I think what stood out was the integrity,” Ford said. “That’s what I learned as I talked to her.”
Guardino said she has cherished how in the 16 years since her case was adjudicated, Stebbins has kept in touch with her and served as a mentor as she pursued a career in the court system.
“I think she’d be an amazing judge, just her outlook on the law and how she fights for the law,” Guardino said.
The first supporter Boyarsky proffered was Rosen, who credited his top manager with dramatically improving the overall diversity of the DA’s office across multiple demographics.
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“That exceptionally qualifies him to be a judge where you have parties of every ethnicity and sexual orientation,” Rosen said. “I think his experiences and qualifications are unique in this race.”
Another supporter, Chief Public Defender Molly O’Neal, voiced confidence in Boyarsky’s ability to be a fair judge.
“Not everyone understands the role of a public defender, and he respects and appreciates it,” O’Neal said. “He believes in balance in an adversarial system.”
Boyarsky prosecuted the sexual assault of Maricela Byler a quarter century ago, a case that ended mid-trial after a judge ruled that the statute of limitations had expired. Byler and Boyarsky championed a 2005 law that extended the period to report a past sexual assault, and have been in contact ever since.
“That’s one of the most caring and selfless things anyone has ever done for me,” Byler said. “Law is sometimes black and white, and sometimes the situations don’t always fit. Jay is willing to do what’s right.”