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Santa Clara County, CA November 4, 2014 Election
Judge - Superior Court; County of Santa Clara; Office 24 Voter Information

6 Year Term.

Results as of Dec 28 11:41am, 100.0% of Precincts Reporting (1066/1066)
Candidates (Vote for 1)
Click on highlighted name for additional information supplied by candidate. Contact non-highlighted candidates and encourage them to provide information for voters.

Matthew Harris Click here for more information about this candidate 157242 votes 53.71%

  • Occupation: Deputy District Attorney
  • Award winning, highly experienced and respected prosecutor of 23 years, including as a Special Assistant United States Attorney
  • Handled homicides, including capital homicide, gangs, sexual assaults, DUI murder, and major white collar frauds
  • Community Prosecutor working to stop crime by improving neighborhood quality of life
  • Extensive civil litigation experience, including Consumer Protection
  • University of Notre Dame Law School
  • Married for 20 years, 2 children, volunteer youth sports coach
Priorities:
  • Fair and impartial decisions based on the law
  • Respect for everyone
  • Preserve the rights of victims and the accused
Diane Ritchie Click here for more information about this candidate 135494 votes 46.29%
  • Occupation: Judge of the Superior Court
  • Elected Judge of Superior Court 2008, after 27 years as a lawyer. I am one of a little over one third of judges who are women in our county.
  • I have been tough on crime, innovative, treated people equally and fairly, and helped people resolve their cases.
  • As a judge in criminal court, I applied the law even when attorneys objected. I gave severe enough sentences to create a real change in the behavior
  • As a civil trial judge, I help parties settle over 30% the cases before me. The parties get a resolution that exactly fits their case and avoid trial
  • Experience is the most important qualification in a judge. I have more than five years of experience. I have presided over thousands of cases.
  • I have been sucessful in criminal and in civil court. I have never been overturned by an Appellate Court.
Priorities:
  • Tough - When a defendant is convicted, Judge Ritchie provides a severe enough sentence to ensure they do not harm innocent people in our community.
  • Experienced - Judge Ritchie has more than 5 years as a Superior Court Judge in Santa Clara County. She has presided over both criminal and civil case
  • Fair - Being fair to all who enter their courtroom, because everyone deserves respect.

Basic candidate data supplied by the applicable elections official. Order of candidates is random and changes daily.
  Candidates Answer Questions

The Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County has asked all candidates for this office to respond to 3 questions on Sentencing, Experience, and Bias.

Events

Meet & Greet

  • 9/28/14, 1-3 PM
    Los Altos Youth Center
    1 N. San Antonio Road
    Los Altos, CA 94024
    Sponsored by: League of Women Voters, Los Altos-Mountain View Area; American Association of University Women Los Altos Mountain View; and Los Altos Library
Candidate Forums
  • 10/13/14, 8:20-9 PM
    Cupertino Community Hall
    10350 Torre Avenue
    Cupertino, CA
    Sponsored by: League of Women Voters, Cupertino-Sunnyvale, and APAPA (Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs)
Videos

Video of the Candidate Forum on 10/13/14

Candidate Statements
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Created: July 23, 2015 14:58 PDT
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