When Alameda County Superior Court Judge Robert Fairwell steps down from the bench this afternoon, he can finally call himself a retiree — at age 82. Misdemeanor arraignments have been his domain for 41 years straight.
And though it was bound to happen sooner or later, some colleagues said they stopped guessing when Fairwell would leave work long ago. "None of the rumors had ever proven to be true prior to this," said Judge Roy Hashimoto, who, before he became a judge in 1993, had been a deputy district attorney assigned to Fairwell's courtroom. . . .
[F]airwell . . . was appointed by Gov. Edmund "Pat" Brown in 1965. . . .
[C]olleagues say Fairwell, a father of 12, runs misdemeanor arraignments — as he's been doing for 41 years — with unrivaled sensitivity and good nature. "I'm known for being lenient. That's my specialty," he said Tuesday.
Each morning before court is in session, Fairwell hands out See's candy to children in the gallery.
"I love the man dearly," said Leonard Ulfelder, a 34-year veteran deputy public defender who said he's begun to think about hanging it up, too. "Seeing him leave makes me want to retire that much sooner. . . ."
[A]sked if he has any special plans for his last day on the bench, Fairwell said he will "try not to be late."
Congratulations to Judge Fairwell, and many thanks for his 41 years of public service. Details here from The Recorder via CalLaw.com.