Napa Court Chooses Monique Longhorn-Johnson '99 On Tuesday, July 18, Monique Longhorn-Johnson '99 was selected out of a pool of 25 applicants to serve as a court commissioner, making her the first black woman to serve on the Napa County Superior Court bench. Court commissioners handle criminal misdemeanors and family law matters, such as child support hearings. They can also handle some legal proceedings normally presided over by a judge, including felony trials, if both sides agree to have the commissioner preside. The Napa Valley Register reported that Langhorne-Johnson's experience working as a child support officer during her law school days at Boalt Hall and her subsequent work as a prosecutor of misdemeanor cases set her apart from the other applicants. Her selection was unanimous among the judges. She starts work as a commissioner on August 14.
(7/24/06)
