Sarah Birmingham sworn in as Stanislaus County Superior Court judge

Sarah Birmingham was formally sworn in as a judge of the Stanislaus County Superior Court during an investiture ceremony presided over by Presiding Judge Sunny Sam Duke. Birmingham noted she was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Aug. 7 and thanked colleagues, mentors and court staff as she begins her service on the bench.

The investiture opened with remarks from Presiding Judge Sunny Sam Duke, who called the ceremony “a most meaningful moment in the life of the court” and thanked Governor Gavin Newsom and Judicial Appointments Secretary Luis Cespedes for Birmingham’s appointment. Duke said Birmingham’s background as a family law practitioner would bring needed expertise and perspective to the court.

Birmingham, who the presiding judge described as a Modesto native with deep local ties, told the assembled judges, attorneys and community members that the transition to the bench has been intense but rewarding. “I am genuinely honored to be appointed to the Stanislaus County Superior Court bench,” she said, recounting that the appointment on Aug. 7 required closing her solo practice and transferring client files. She singled out longtime assistants Karen Camara and Sarah Coelho for their years of service.

Speakers at the ceremony highlighted Birmingham’s public-service work and legal advocacy. Duke and others noted her board service at the Centre for Human Services and her earlier work at the Modesto office of California Rural Legal Assistance, where she represented people on housing discrimination, eviction and restraining-order matters. Local attorneys and friends offered personal remembrances: Hugh Breton recalled Birmingham’s preparation and steadiness; Lindsey Bannerman, a fellow certified family law specialist, used an anecdote about a long-running holiday cookie exchange to illustrate Birmingham’s persistence and care.

Birmingham thanked mentors who supported her judicial application process, including a former mentor she referred to as “Mr. B” and supervising family law Judge Allen Cassidy. She said mentorship and collegiality strengthen the legal community and pledged to “expect fair dealing from attorneys and parties, and they likewise can expect fair dealing from me as their judicial officer,” adding that she will protect constitutional safeguards and ensure due process for litigants.

The presiding judge recorded the presence of multiple sitting and retired judicial officers and invited public officials including Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Buck Condit, Chief of Probation Mark Ferreira, and representatives from the Public Defender’s Office. After the remarks and ceremonial oath, guests were invited to a reception at Surla’s, announced in the ceremony as 431 12th Street.

The investiture combined ceremonial oath-taking with tributes from colleagues, community partners and friends; Birmingham’s remarks emphasized mentorship, community service and a commitment to impartial, efficient administration of justice as she begins her duties on the Stanislaus County bench.