San Joaquin College of Law
Encyclopedia
San Joaquin College of Law (SJCL) is a private
, non-profit law school
in Clovis, California
, US. It was founded in Fresno
in 1969 by Fresno County Municipal Court Judge Dan Eyman, U.S. District Court Judge Oliver Wanger
, and attorney John Loomis. The school began instruction in 1970.
In 1996, SJCL relocated to the original Clovis High School building, following a multi-million dollar renovation. The structure was built in 1920, but had deteriorated to the point where a coyote was living in the basement. The renovation, including a new courtroom, lecture hall, and enlarged library, allowed the Law School to expand, while still maintaining the historic character of the building. There remains no comparable institution for 120 miles (193.1 km) in any direction in the central San Joaquin Valley
.The next nearest CBE law school in the California Central Valley is the Humphreys College Laurence Drivon School of Law
, located in Stockton, California
. See: Law Schools in California Accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners (CBE)
More than 25% of the total practicing lawyers in the Fresno area are SJCL graduates, including 48% of women and 35% of minority lawyers.
and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
(WASC). During the ten-year period from 2002-2010, its first-time passage rate reached a high of 62% in 2010.
(Horne v. USDA, No. CV-F-08-1549 LJO SMS, 2009 WL 4895362 (2009)); the New Mexico Court of Appeals
(Jicarilla Apache Nation v. Rio Arriba County Assessor (2004), 135 N.M. 630, 92 P.3d 642), citing Robert Luedeman & Darla Mondou, "Meet the New Meat: Legal Aspects of Ratite Bird Production", 8 San Joaquin Agr. L.Rev. 1 (1998)); the US District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
(Overton Distributors Inc. v. Heritage Bank, 179 F.Supp.2d 818 (2002)); and the Minnesota Supreme Court
(Anderson v. State Department of Natural Resources (Minn. 2005), 693 N.W.2d 181 Footnote 3, citing Theodore A. Feitshans, "An Analysis of State Pesticide Drift Laws", 9 San Joaquin Agr. L.Rev. 37, 70-78 (1999)). It is the oldest and one of only three law review
s in the United States focusing on agriculture law
.
services in a free family law
mediation clinic. They meet with husband and wife in the mediation
setting to help them negotiate a legal agreement while avoiding the time and expense of going to court. In their role as mediators, they do not represent either party, nor do they represent the parties jointly.
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
, non-profit law school
Law school in the United States
In the United States, a law school is an institution where students obtain a professional education in law after first obtaining an undergraduate degree.Law schools in the U.S...
in Clovis, California
Clovis, California
Clovis is a city in Fresno County, California, United States, northeast of Fresno. The population is estimated to be 97,218 as of September, 2011. Clovis is located northeast of downtown Fresno, at an elevation of 361 feet .-History:...
, US. It was founded in Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
in 1969 by Fresno County Municipal Court Judge Dan Eyman, U.S. District Court Judge Oliver Wanger
Oliver Winston Wanger
Oliver Winston Wanger is a former United States federal judge.Born in Los Angeles, California, Wanger received a B.S. from the University of Southern California in 1963 and an LL.B. from the University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law in 1966. He was a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve...
, and attorney John Loomis. The school began instruction in 1970.
In 1996, SJCL relocated to the original Clovis High School building, following a multi-million dollar renovation. The structure was built in 1920, but had deteriorated to the point where a coyote was living in the basement. The renovation, including a new courtroom, lecture hall, and enlarged library, allowed the Law School to expand, while still maintaining the historic character of the building. There remains no comparable institution for 120 miles (193.1 km) in any direction in the central San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
.The next nearest CBE law school in the California Central Valley is the Humphreys College Laurence Drivon School of Law
Humphreys College Laurence Drivon School of Law
Humphreys College Laurence Drivon School of Law is an independent, non-profit law school located in Stockton, California. The School of Law is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges but neither has nor seeks...
, located in Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
. See: Law Schools in California Accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners (CBE)
More than 25% of the total practicing lawyers in the Fresno area are SJCL graduates, including 48% of women and 35% of minority lawyers.
Accreditation and bar passage rate
San Joaquin College of Law is not an American Bar Association (ABA) approved law school, but it is now seeking to obtain ABA accreditation. SJCL is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of CaliforniaState Bar of California
The State Bar of California is California's official bar association. It is responsible for managing the admission of lawyers to the practice of law, investigating complaints of professional misconduct, and prescribing appropriate discipline...
and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
(WASC). During the ten-year period from 2002-2010, its first-time passage rate reached a high of 62% in 2010.
| Year | July Exam | February Exam | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passage rate | Took exam | Passed exam | Passage rate | Took exam | Passed exam | |
| 2011 | 0% | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2010 | 62% | 37 | 23 | 0% | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 | 45% | 44 | 20 | 100% | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 | 51% | 45 | 23 | 17% | 6 | 1 |
| 2007 | 43% | 35 | 15 | 20% | 5 | 1 |
| 2006 | 33% | 49 | 16 | 0% | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 | 39% | 36 | 14 | 33% | 6 | 2 |
| 2004 | 41% | 27 | 11 | 0% | 2 | 0 |
| 2003 | 29% | 28 | 8 | N/A | 0 | |
| 2002 | 43% | 30 | 13 | 0% | 2 | 0 |
San Joaquin Agricultural Law Review
The San Joaquin Agricultural Law Review (SJALR), published by SJCL students since 1991, circulates nationwide.SJALR articles have been cited by the California Supreme Court (Gerawan Farming, Inc. v. Lyons (2000), 24 Cal.4th 468 (101 Cal.Rptr.2d 470; 12 P.3d 720), citing "Comment, The Effect of Glickman v. Wileman Brothers & Elliott, Inc. on Nongeneric Commodities: A Narrow Focus on a Broad Rule", 9 San Joaquin Agr. L.Rev. 95 (1999)); the California Courts of Appeal (County of Humboldt v. McKee (2008), 165 Cal.App.4th 1476, citing Will, "The Land Conservation Act at the 32 Year Mark: Enforcement, Reform, and Innovation", 9 San Joaquin Agr. L.Rev. 1, 8 (1999)); the US District Court for the Eastern District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of California
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California is composed of six divisions.The Bakersfield division has jurisdiction over certain cases in Inyo and Kern counties and on federal lands and National Parks...
(Horne v. USDA, No. CV-F-08-1549 LJO SMS, 2009 WL 4895362 (2009)); the New Mexico Court of Appeals
New Mexico Court of Appeals
The New Mexico Court of Appeals is the intermediate-level appellate court for the state of New Mexico.-Jurisdiction:The court has general appellate jurisdiction over the state district courts and certain state agencies...
(Jicarilla Apache Nation v. Rio Arriba County Assessor (2004), 135 N.M. 630, 92 P.3d 642), citing Robert Luedeman & Darla Mondou, "Meet the New Meat: Legal Aspects of Ratite Bird Production", 8 San Joaquin Agr. L.Rev. 1 (1998)); the US District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
The United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee is the federal trial court for most of Middle Tennessee. Based in Nashville, it was created in 1839 when Congress added a third district to the state...
(Overton Distributors Inc. v. Heritage Bank, 179 F.Supp.2d 818 (2002)); and the Minnesota Supreme Court
Minnesota Supreme Court
The Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Minnesota and consists of seven members. The court was first assembled as a three-judge panel in 1849 when Minnesota was still a territory. The first members were lawyers from outside of the region who were appointed by...
(Anderson v. State Department of Natural Resources (Minn. 2005), 693 N.W.2d 181 Footnote 3, citing Theodore A. Feitshans, "An Analysis of State Pesticide Drift Laws", 9 San Joaquin Agr. L.Rev. 37, 70-78 (1999)). It is the oldest and one of only three law review
Law review
A law review is a scholarly journal focusing on legal issues, normally published by an organization of students at a law school or through a bar association...
s in the United States focusing on agriculture law
Agricultural law
Agricultural law, sometimes referred to as Ag Law, deals with law on Agricultural infrastructure, seed, water, fertilizer, pesticide, etc.; Law on agricultural finance, Law on agricultural labour; agricultural marketing; Agricultural insurance, Farming rights, Land tenure and tenancy system and law...
.
Family Law Mediation Clinic
Students and faculty of San Joaquin College of Law provide alternative dispute resolutionAlternative dispute resolution
Alternative Dispute Resolution includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that act as a means for disagreeing parties to come to an agreement short of litigation. ADR basically is an alternative to a formal court hearing or litigation...
services in a free family law
Family law
Family law is an area of the law that deals with family-related issues and domestic relations including:*the nature of marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships;...
mediation clinic. They meet with husband and wife in the mediation
Mediation
Mediation, as used in law, is a form of alternative dispute resolution , a way of resolving disputes between two or more parties. A third party, the mediator, assists the parties to negotiate their own settlement...
setting to help them negotiate a legal agreement while avoiding the time and expense of going to court. In their role as mediators, they do not represent either party, nor do they represent the parties jointly.
Notable faculty
- Anthony P. CapozziAnthony P. CapozziAnthony Patrick "Tony" Capozzi is a renowned American trial attorney and political consultant and participant. During his legal career, he has worked as a solo practitioner, supervising assistant United States Attorney, adjunct professor of law, and law clerk to the Honorable Omer Poos of the...
(1974-1978) Criminal law - Superior Court Judge Hilary Chittick
- Superior Court Judge Jonathan B. Conklin
- Superior Court Judge Kimberly Nystrom-Geist
- U.S. District Court JudgeUnited States federal judgeIn the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
Lawrence Joseph O'NeillLawrence Joseph O'NeillLawrence Joseph O'Neill is a United States federal judge.Born in Oakland, California, O'Neill received a B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1973, an M.P.A. from Golden Gate University in 1976, and a J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of Law in 1979. He was...
(1986-1992) - U.S. District Court Judge Oliver Wanger (1970-1991)
Notable alumni
- State officials
- Diana Dooley (J.D. 1995) Secretary, California Health and Human Services AgencyCalifornia Health and Human Services AgencyThe California Health and Human Services Agency is the state agency tasked with administration and oversight of "state and federal programs for health care, social services, public assistance and rehabilitation" in the U.S. state of California. The agency is headed by the Secretary of the...
- Diana Dooley (J.D. 1995) Secretary, California Health and Human Services Agency
- United States Bankruptcy Court Judge
- W. Richard Lee, Eastern District of California
- United States Magistrate Judge
- Gary S. Austin, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of CaliforniaThe U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California is composed of six divisions.The Bakersfield division has jurisdiction over certain cases in Inyo and Kern counties and on federal lands and National Parks...
- Gary S. Austin, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
- California Superior Court Judges
- James Aaron (retired), Fresno County
- Brian Alvarez, Fresno County
- Mark Bacciarini, Merced County
- Eric Helgesen (retired), Riverside County
- Efren N. Iglesia, Monterey County
- Rosemary T. McGuire, Fresno County
- Kimberly Nystrom-Geist, Fresno County
- Don Penner, Fresno County
- James Petrucelli, Fresno County
- R. I. "Chip" Putnam (retired), Fresno County
- Angus Saint-Evens (retired), Glenn County
- Houry Sanderson, Fresno County
- Alan Simpson, Fresno County
- Donna Tarter, Kings County
- Charles Wieland, Madera County
- Federal and State Administrative Law Judges
- Jose Banuelos
- Catherine Benko
- Eileen Deimerly
- James Donabed
- Sharon Madsen
- Elizabeth Parker
- Nancy Smith (retired)
- Barbara St. Louis (retired)
- Georgia York (retired)