Governor Appoints Fraud Prosecutor Rebecca S. Riley to Municipal Court

Deputy Dist. Atty. Rebecca S. Riley was appointed a Municipal Court judge by Gov. Pete Wilson on Monday and will become the only woman on the county’s lower court when she is sworn in today.

Riley, 49, head of the district attorney’s major fraud unit, is the third prosecutor or former prosecutor to be named as a local judge this year by Wilson. A fourth appointee is a former civil lawyer.

“It’s the qualifications of Miss Riley that impressed the governor, her role as deputy district attorney,” said Steve Tatum, a Wilson spokesman. “They share the same philosophy on crime.”

A lawyer for only 11 years after a midlife career change, Riley will be sworn into the $98,070-a-year job this afternoon by her husband, Superior Court Judge Ken W. Riley.

The new judge, a Camarillo resident and a real estate broker until 1984, will become the fourth woman among 29 local jurists. There are now no women among the 11 judges on the Municipal Court, three among the 15 on the Superior Court, and neither of the two appointed court commissioners are women.

“I don’t believe that anyone should be appointed to any position because of gender. But when there are qualified men and women, it does raise a question if none of the appointees are women,” Riley said. “I think it is important that women be represented.”

Ventura County Bar Assn. officials--along with prosecutors and defense attorneys alike--praised Riley’s appointment, saying her temperament, fair-mindedness and work ethic are suited to the role.

They also said that more women should be appointed judges, because at least one-quarter of local lawyers are females.

“I think the gender imbalance on our bench is disgraceful, so I’m very pleased with this appointment,” said George Eskin, a private defense attorney.

But a variety of legal leaders also expressed concern that the local courts may soon become overloaded with judges who are experienced in criminal law but lack experience with civil lawsuits and procedures.

After graduating from the Ventura College of Law, Riley had two years of civil experience at a Camarillo law firm before joining the district attorney’s office in 1986.

“I think Rebecca Riley is a wonderful appointment. She has a fine reputation,” said local Bar President Tom Hinkle, who wrote to Wilson last week about judicial appointments in Ventura County. “We asked the governor to give adequate consideration to appointment of judges who have civil experience.”

The problem with appointing too many judges with backgrounds in criminal cases is that Ventura County’s courts may come up short in the next two or three years if several Superior Court judges with civil experience retire, as expected, Hinkle said.

While Municipal Court judges--such as Riley--deal almost exclusively with criminal cases, they are often elevated to the Superior Court, where much of the work is civil, Hinkle said.

Public Defender Kenneth Clayman expressed similar concerns. And he said he is troubled that Wilson is appointing so many lawyers with a prosecutorial slant instead of experience as private lawyers.

Nonetheless, he praised Riley, who has opposed attorneys in his office regularly. “[They] have felt her to be very forthright and prepared,” he said. “And those qualities will serve her well on the bench.”

Riley’s boss, Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury, insisted that the prosecutors Wilson has appointed from his office have proven to be extremely capable civil judges who are respected by local lawyers.

“I think it is better to appoint bright, talented people who then quickly learn how to handle civil cases as opposed to others who have the experience but perhaps not all of the same talents as someone like Rebecca Riley,” Bradbury said in an interview.

For example, he said that Ken Riley, Thomas Hutchins and Colleen White have all become fine civil judges.

And he said in a prepared statement that the new judge is “an outstanding lawyer and human being” who will make an exceptional judge. Riley herself said she brings to her new job not only experience as a prosecutor, and for the last year supervisor of five attorneys, but common sense.

“I have a well-rounded life experience,” she said. “I’ve been part-owner of a business. I’ve been in private practice. I have common sense. There’s more to being a judge than just knowing the law. You have to be a human being, too.”

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Profile of Rebecca S. Riley

Age: 49

Education: BA English, University of Wyoming, 1967; Juris Doctorate, Ventura College of Law, 1984.

Experience: Kindergarten teacher, 1967-68; office manager, 1969-71; homemaker and mother, 1971-74; real estate sales, 1974-78, and broker/owner, 1978-84; attorney, Waldo, Malley & Lacey in Camarillo, 1984-86; Ventura County deputy district attorney, 1986-present, including seven years in major fraud unit and one year as unit supervisor.

Family: Husband, Ken W. Riley, Ventura County Superior Court judge; daughter, Valerie, 24, and son, Colin, 22.