San Francisco—The California Supreme Court today announced the appointment of Judge Catherine D. Purcell, of the Superior Court of Kern County, to the Review Department of the State Bar Court.
The State Bar Court serves as the administrative arm of the Supreme Court in the adjudication of disciplinary and regulatory matters involving California attorneys. The appointment, made pursuant to Business and Professions Code section 6079.1 and rule 961 of the California Rules of Court, is for a term beginning November 1, 2008.
As specified by rule 961, the court considered and selected Judge Purcell from candidates nominated for the position by the Applicant Evaluation and Nomination Committee, chaired by Judge John E. Munter of the Superior Court of San Francisco County.
Judge Purcell has served on the Superior Court of Kern County since 2001, where she presides over criminal and civil cases, including family law matters. She was supervising judge of the court for a two-year term that ended last year. Active in continuing judicial education, Judge Purcell has served as faculty for ethics training for court personnel and attorneys who serve as pro tem judges.
Before joining the bench, Judge Purcell was a deputy district attorney in the Kern County District Attorney’s Office from 1989 to 1991 and from 1993 to 2001. She was in private law practice from 1986 to 1989, and clerked at the California Supreme Court from 1985 to 1986.
Judge Purcell received her JD degree from Pepperdine School of Law in 1985, where she graduated magna cum laude and won the Benjamin N. Cardoza National Moot Court Competition. She received her nursing degree with honors from California Lutheran College in 1980.
For more information on the State Bar Court, please see http://www.calbar.ca.gov/state/calbar/sbc_generic.jsp?cid=13469