Judge Rosenberg to be awarded 2012 CJA Humanitarian Award | Community

Yolo Superior Court announced today that Judge David Rosenberg has been chosen to receive the 2012 California Judges Association Humanitarian of the Year Award. This award is presented annually to one California Judge who makes a difference outside of the courtroom.

Judge Rosenberg will receive the award at the California Judges Association (CJA) membership luncheon on Friday, October 12, at the Monterey Plaza Hotel as part of the CJA Annual Meeting and Conference. The Humanitarian Award is officially named the “Alba Witkin Humanitarian Award” after the widow of noted legal scholar Bernard Witkin and is presented by CJA with support from the Witkin Foundation to a judicial officer who is making a difference outside of the courtroom. A donation of $1,000 ($500 from the California Judges Foundation and $500 from the Witkin Foundation) will be made to the charity of Judge Rosenberg's choice.

Judge Rosenberg was appointed to the Bench in 2003 and has subsequently been elected to office in 2006 and 2012. This month he completes over four years of service as Presiding Judge of the Yolo Superior Court. Judge Rosenberg carries a full criminal trial calendar, handling felony trials. In addition to his judicial duties, Judge Rosenberg, later this month, completes one year as Chair of the Trial Court Presiding Judges Advisory Committee (composed of all 58 California trial court Presiding Judges), as Co-Chair of the Trial Court Budget Working Group, and as an Advisory Member of the California Judicial Council and member of that Council’s Executive and Planning Committee. Recently, he was chosen by California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye to begin, later this month, a three-year term as a full voting member of the California Judicial Council, and will serve as a member of the Executive and Planning Committee as well as the Litigation Management Committee.

The Humanitarian Award is, however, not awarded for judicial work. It is awarded to Judges who make a difference outside of their courtrooms. Judge Rosenberg has been active in the community and in charitable works.

Judge Rosenberg serves as Chairman of the Board of two large retirement communities in Napa and Saratoga, serving hundreds of residents in independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing care and memory care. He is also actively involved in the Davis Odd Fellows Lodge and the Davis Rebekah Lodge which provide support and assistance to local schools, frail seniors, foster children and emancipated foster children, and numerous community and charitable organizations. As a member of the Lodge, he was one of the leaders of the effort to successfully set a Guinness World Record for the longest single line of bicycles, which involved thousands of participants of all ages, and which raised money for the schools. Judge Rosenberg is also the Chief Patriarch (President) of the Davis Encampment which sends very low income and foster children to summer camp every summer, all expenses paid.

Judge Rosenberg often is called upon, and he agrees to serve, as Master of Ceremonies for events in Davis and throughout Yolo County, that benefit the community and/or community causes. For example, he has served as MC for the annual event to benefit Davis Community Meals – an organization which provides free meals to anyone who needs a meal, and also provides housing for homeless individuals and families. He has also served for many years as MC for “Yolo Idol’ an annual talent show for local singers of all ages. Judge Rosenberg gives freely of his time to meet with high school students, college and university students, and law students, to give them counsel and encouragement. He has given the keynote address at the Woodland Community College graduation, and he has been a speaker at King Hall (UCD School of Law) for the benefit of the King Hall Outreach Program (which encourages low income and disadvantaged college students to consider law as a career). He is active in his local Inns of Court, which provides mentoring to younger lawyers and law students.

“Receiving this award is a delightful surprise and I am truly honored,” said Judge Rosenberg, “but the real benefit is that it highlights my philosophy that Judges should be part of their communities. Judges should not shy away from good charitable and community works.”

Rosenberg also commented that he is very appreciative of this award because his wife of 44 years, Lea Rosenberg, has been honored in their home town of Davis with the Citizen of the Year Award and also the Humanitarian of the Year Award. “This Award gives me some measure of equal bragging rights at home,” quipped Rosenberg.

Source: Yolo County Superior Court