The DQ: Suddenly t'ferred San Mateo Co. Juvvie Judge Marta Diaz

 "When you make a mistake with a child's future, you can't just say, 'I'm sorry.' "

Joshua Melvin in the San Mateo County Times reported Friday that SM Co. Superior Court Judge Marta Diaz, who has served 10 years as a juvenile judge, was "abruptly transferred" to a municipal court in South San Francisco that handles primarily criminal and traffic cases. The reason stated in the article: she refused to back a powerful person in an internal political struggle within the San Mateo County Superior Court. (The comments section, below, states other potential reasons which Melvin's article did not address.)

 Patricia Miljanich, executive director ofSan Mateo County CASA, told Melvin Diaz's transfer is "a great detriment" to the 600 children in SM Co foster care.

Diaz's replacement is expected to be Superior Court Judge Susan Etezadi (at left). As Melvin reports: "[Etezadi] has no experience in juvenile law, which is an extremely complex interplay of social welfare agencies and Byzantine rules, and she would dictate the fate of families as well as children."

Diaz, a Pete Wilson appointee to the SM Co Superior Court, had been an attorney in private practice, specializing primarily juvenile dependency cases (1993-97), and from 1981-93, she was a deputy DA in SM Co, including over 3 years in the juvenile court. She is the daughter of two immigrants: a Cuban father and a Mexican mother. Her law degree is from Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley.

Judge Etezadi, also a first-generation American (of Irish/Iranian descent), is a Schwarzenegger pick who was  a deputy DA for SM Co prior to her 2006 bench appointment. According to the press release at that time, "Etezadi specialized in prelimlinary hearings, insurance fraud, homicide, career criminal and sexual assault cases."  Her JD is from the Univ. of San Diego.

Comments

[Doug]

This article ...fails to mention that there have been at least two independent investigations into Diaz by the California Commission on Judicial Performance. She was being investigated for reports that came from the San Mateo District Attorney's office that she interfered with the police investigation into charged child molester Dr. William Ayres. Word is she tried to stop it.

The Commission did indeed discipline her in 2009 for her bizarre remarks to a reporter of the San Francisco legal Daily Journal when asked about her ties to Ayres. She blamed ordinary citizens for having a "jihad" against her and then uttered a strong profanity, which was printed.

While the other juvenile judges have apologized to the public for the harm they have done by sending boys to Ayres, Diaz has not .She attacks the attackers and has not once uttered a scintilla of remorse.

[Barry reed]

Diaz has done so many other things wrong, she is a tyrant in the court room and needed to be moved. The CASA director does not know anything, she is just mad because she had Diaz in her back pocket and now she has to try to manipulate a new judge all over again.

[Jan Robb]

I had a son in the system. Judge Diaz was an amazing influence upon him and his father and me. I have nothing but praise to offer this woman. There was no doubt in my mind that her heart and soul were into every decision that she made in our regard. To think that everything that she has put into the juvenile system of San Mateo was arrested from her because of a few bad feelings from adults that should know better, if frightening.

[Sam]

Um, Jan Robb- did you know she befriended the child molester Dr. William Ayres and tried to get the police to stop investigating him? Did you realize she let loose a four letter word to a reporter for a legal paper when asked about her association with Ayres? Did you know it was printed and for that she was sanctioned by the California Commission on Judicial Performance? Did you realize she told a boy in juvenile court that he should have pulled out a gun out of his backpack and use it on another kid? A juvenile lawyer has complained about this to the Commission.

She is bizarrely out of control. Good riddance!

[Ginger]

Judge Martha Diaz must be investigated still even if she was sacked!

[Rob Palmer]

I have seen many many court hearings in my legal career for 27yrs but have never seen as arrogant & as a dictator, short of saying like playing as if she is a Lord/queen as that of judge marta diaz. she conducts her hearing but actually not a hearing taking place, more like a monopoly of her verbal abuses during proceedings. that being said she has not been successful in keeping juveniles and parent together to be a solid family. Her usual first-order in most of cases is to separate the family due even those stemming from small family issues/problem that can be easily worked out, but after that 1st step she has no plan nor concern to reunite the family involved in the issue. she is a very unreasonable for a public servant that was tasked to propagate family values and unity.