Robert K. Puglia Wins Judge D. Lowell Jensen Public Service Award

Contact: Erin Campbell, Communications Dept., 510-643-8010, ecampbell@law.berkeley.edu

Former Sacramento Judge Robert Puglia (Boalt Hall class of ’58) has been chosen as the recipient of Boalt Hall’s Judge D. Lowell Jensen Public Service Award. The Jensen Award is given each year to a prominent Boalt graduate for his or her outstanding commitment to public service in the legal field. The award will be presented at a May 7 luncheon at the Sacramento Capitol Club. 

At the time of his retirement in November 1998, Justice Puglia had served over 27 years as a member of the California judiciary. Since then, he has been at McDonough, Holland & Allen engaged in alternative dispute resolutions (ADR), mediation and arbitration in a wide variety of cases. Justice Puglia also serves as an expert witness. He has testified in legal malpractice cases on the standard of care and in cases involving attorney compensation and related issues.

Justice Puglia served for three years on the Sacramento Superior Court and for 24 years as presiding justice of the California Court of Appeal, 3rd District, appointed by Governor Reagan. He was the senior presiding justice of the state’s appellate system. Some 375 of his opinions are published in the official reports. 

Prior to his 1971 appointment to the Sacramento Superior Court he was a partner with McDonough, Holland , Schwartz, Allen & Wahrhaftig. Previously he had served ten years as a prosecutor in Sacramento , first as Deputy District Attorney and then for six years as Chief Deputy District Attorney. He began his career in the California State Department of Justice as a Deputy Attorney General. Justice Puglia was admitted to the California Bar in January 1959. Puglia and his wife Ingrid have four children.