Trezza seeks Sutter County Superior Court seat

After the two most recent new judges in Sutter County came from the criminal case side of the law as former prosecutors, attorney Michael Trezza said he thinks the next one should come from the civil side.

Not surprisingly, such a description matches Trezza's background and experience, as the 10th candidate seeking a bench seat in Department 2 of Sutter County Superior Court.

"I think most people aren't that familiar with the legal system," said Trezza, 48. "There's a tendency to feel judges may side with the bigger entity, like the government or a big corporation. I can at least offer that I've been on the other side."

A longtime Yuba City resident who left only to attend college at U.C. Davis and then law school at McGeorge School of Law, Trezza joined the law firm his father belonged to after he passed the bar in 1989.

He said the decision to run for judge stems from both the opportunity when Judge H. Ted Hansen announced his retirement last year, and a feeling Trezza's timing was right in terms of experience he had gained in 22 years as an attorney.

Being a judge at the superior court level means something different than at the appellate level, with a more direct interpretation of the law, Trezza said.

"We are bound by laws that exist, laws that come from the state or case law," he said. "You're not making any law. For the most part, you're bound by precedent."

But being bound by precedent doesn't mean those who come before a judge should expect rigidity, or a feeling they're not being heard, Trezza said.

"As a judge, obviously you're not going to make everyone happy," he said. "But if everyone feels like they had a chance to be heard, it keeps trust in the system."

Because courts are how people resolve many issues, keeping trust in its operation among citizens keeps society from breaking down, Trezza said. And part of the understanding of trust is trust in the judge.

"I think it's a combination of experience and knowing you're going to get a fair and impartial hearing," Trezza said of why voters should pick him in the June 5 election. "I'm someone with the right temperament."

The salary for a Superior Court judge is $163,274.58

CONTACT Ben van der Meer at bvandermeer@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4786. Find him on Facebook at /ADbvandermeer or on Twitter at @ADbvandermeer.