LAH judges render summary judgments in their household

By Joan Garvin, Town Crier Correspondent

Judges Patricia Bamattre-Manoukian and Socrates Peter Manoukian take a rare break at lunch in Pete’s chambers off his Department 7 courtroom. They are one of very few married couples who are both judges.

She is an Associate Justice of the California Courts of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District. He is a judge of the Superior Court of Santa Clara County. Patricia Bamattre-Manoukian and Socrates Peter Manoukian share more than black robes and judicial authority. They are one of a handful of married couples in the state who are both judges.

The Manoukians of Los Altos Hills have three sons, Mike, Matt and Martin, and are very much a part of the community.

The dynamics of managing a busy household where both parents not only work full time but in a very demanding profession presents unique challenges, such as: Who cooks?

They glanced at each other apparently to decide who would answer rather than for affirmation, then said, “We both do.” They did admit that now Pete’s 90-plus-year-old father who lives with them, and their son who is home for the summer, both pitch in.

Their spontaneous responses confirm a truly collaborative household. Pete compared their division of responsibility and authority to the Hegelian dialectic: thesis and antithesis resulting in synthesis.

They met while students at UCLA, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21, 1971, and had their “first serious” date the following Jan. 1, according to - no, not Patricia - Pete.

Patricia agreed they started dating then, but doesn’t recall giving that date such ranking at the time. She was concerned about school and finals and graduate school.

They graduated in 1972. Patricia, whose family lived in Windsor Hills in Southern California, went to the University of Southern California to get her master’s degree; Pete received his at California State University, Long Beach.

She had already decided to become a lawyer, influenced by the attorney-father of a high school friend. Pete became interested in history and the law in fourth grade at Hillview Elementary School in Los Altos, when his teacher’s husband Bill Hoffman, an assistant district attorney introduced him to the field.

Patricia received her Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School and Pete from Southwestern Law School, both in Los Angeles.

Their blending of marriage and the law began even before the graduation. Aware of pending finals and the bar exam looming just a few weeks later, they decided to marry before graduation so that planning a wedding wouldn’t be a distraction. They married the April before their respective graduations in 1977.

After a one-day honeymoon in Palm Springs, Pete remembers rushing back to drop Patricia off on the building steps just in time for her final. Twenty-eight years later, he said the only decision he would change is “waiting six years to get married.”

Patricia was offered a position in the district attorney’s office in Orange County. Their “first” income settled the decision of where to live. Southern California became their home. Pete joined the house counsel for Farmers Insurance Group of Companies. And Mike and Matt were born.

At the time, Patricia was one of few woman lawyers who tried homicide cases. Her colleagues encouraged her to request appointment as a judge. In 1983 Gov. George Deukmejian appointed her to the Orange County Municipal Court.

That same year, Pete was offered a position in San Jose, the kind of opportunity that is difficult to refuse, with Burton K. Wines in medical malpractice defense. Patricia encouraged him not to pass up the opportunity even though it meant separation.

During the week, Patricia, with the aid of her “wonderful” mother and “wonderful” sister, continued to work and care for the boys. Pete had the burden of weekly commuting and took over the chores on the weekends.

In 1985, confident that Pete’s position was stable, the family moved to the Los Altos area where Pete had grown up. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, he moved here in 1960, went to Hillview School then Purissima where he got his first cover on the Town Crier as student body president. He attended Covington Junior and Los Altos high schools, then Foothill College.

Pete became a partner in the growing law firm of Wines and (now) Manoukian.

Patricia’s transition to this area progressed in an unlikely manner. The family went to a bar picnic where she met some Santa Clara judges. Her experience in Orange County encouraged the judges to ask her to join them as a judge pro tem, essentially a very qualified volunteer, then recommended that she apply for the bench. Deukmejian appointed her to the Santa Clara County Municipal Court, then in 1988, to the Santa Clara County Superior Court. He elevated her to the Sixth District Court of Appeals in 1989.

Pete had never actively sought the position of judge. He liked the challenge of litigating and had become attached to his clients, but when the opportunity presented itself, it seemed the logical progression. Gov. Pete Wilson appointed him to the Santa Clara County Superior Court in February 1993.

With two adjudicators in the household now, who washes the black robes? “The cleaners,” the judges responded in unison.

Entering Pete’s chambers, the expected accoutrements of his judicial status are evident: a large office, comfortable leather chairs and floor-to-ceiling law books. Closer inspection reveals less formal mementos covering the books on many shelves: an autographed football from a team he coached, Little League team pictures and trophies, tokens from early trials.

A mounted picture of a 1990 Little League team Pete coached shows his son, second from right in the back row, standing next to another player, Paul Krueger. This year Krueger is serving as law clerk in the judge’s court.

When the boys were younger, Pete drove them to school while Patricia cleaned up. They shared the other tasks. All three sons went to St. Nicholas School.

The two older boys graduated from St. Francis High School, easily verified by examining the wall in Patricia’s large, stately corner office with a spectacular view of the 10th largest city in the United States. Mounted prominently on one wall are two jerseys, one slightly bloody and one torn, evidence that they are the actual game jerseys. Martin will continue the family tradition at St. Francis this fall. Mike attended UC Davis and plans to enter the Marine Corps; Mike is attending the University of Arizona.

When the Town Crier photographer arranged them, Patricia turned to Pete, “You have the chair.” He answered quickly, “No, you.” The back and forth continued in the background - a Katherine Hepburn-Spencer Tracy dialogue - until they laughed and Patricia sat.

The judges are dedicated to outreach and education programs to make the judicial system understood and accessible to the community. They contribute time and talent to programs from the elementary schools through adult education. They both profess a mission to inform young students about the importance of education and the value of studying law. As they once were encouraged, they mentor lawyers and suggest the bench as a goal.

Another area of agreement is of the need for security for judges.

“The entire judiciary, not just the state - the country - is on a heightened alert because of the recent attacks on judges and their families,” Patricia said.

Although their courtrooms are an easy walk apart, the judges seldom lunch together. Pete frequently brings his lunch and uses the time to read and fit in a walk before court resumes. Patricia finds lunchtime filled with review work or meetings.

Can they discuss deep legal questions when they get home? They looked at each other and laughed, “Between the boys, Pete’s father, remodeling … there’s never time,” said Patricia.

They do however consult each other as they would any other respected judge. But they emphasized they never hear the same case. Any case appealed from Pete’s court will never be assigned to Patricia. This is not a matter of law, but an ethical restriction to ensure there is not even a perception of conflict. Pete said the ultimate criterion is whether the public would be suspicious.

Pete believes having your spouse in the same profession is positive. You understand each other’s problems and time constraints.

Patricia suggested that if spouses were in different professions, one might complicate the life of the other. There are many ethical considerations for a judge. For example, if a spouse were in a business related to one on trial - even if it were not his/her company, the judge could appear biased.

“We are stewards of the public trust,” said Pete.

Both judges encourage “people to try to know your judges. Come to court, participate in a public outreach programs, read the ballot carefully, attend candidate forums before elections.”

Patricia did get in the last word, “Remember this, the most important thing (to both of us) is our sons,” Patricia added - in a firm, judicial tone.