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Late last week, Senator Tom Umberg (D – Orange County) was reappointed Chair of the California State Senate Judiciary Committee by State Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins. Senator Umberg has served as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee since 2020 and has been a member since his election to the Senate in 2018. Prior to being appointed as Chair of Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Umberg chaired the Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee.
Senator Umberg stated:
“I am honored by Senate President Pro Tem Atkins’ confidence in reappointing me Judiciary Chair. The pandemic and the increasing costs of litigation have made access to justice more challenging. In leading the Judiciary Committee, thus far, we have prioritized remote access to the courts, disciplinary oversight at the State Bar, access to legal aid for veterans and others, and efficiencies within court systems to shorten case time periods, among many other projects. Perhaps most importantly, Senator Susan Eggman and I worked with Governor Newsom last year to create the CARE Court System – a comprehensive judicial program to more expeditiously and comprehensively address issues of California’s unhoused and severely mentally ill populations.
This year will see the continued advancement of many of those same policies as we work together to ensure equity, fairness, and timeliness within the court system.”
Senator Umberg, a graduate of UCLA and UC Hastings College of the Law (now UC College of the Law, San Francisco), co-founded and built a successful law firm in Orange County that is recognized as one of California’s preeminent boutique law firms by Best Lawyers and The Daily Journal.
As a federal criminal prosecutor, Senator Umberg successfully prosecuted numerous white collar, civil rights, and gang cases. In the course of his career, he has tried over 100 cases to verdict or judgment.
Senator Umberg is a retired Army colonel who served three overseas tours as a military prosecutor – to include war crimes prosecutions – and was recalled to active duty to lead the US military effort in Afghanistan to combat corruption within the Afghan Police and Army. For his service in Afghanistan, he was awarded the Bronze Star.
During the Clinton Administration, Senator Umberg was appointed Deputy Drug Czar, and was responsible for foreign drug interdiction, counter-drug intelligence, and international drug policy.
As a Justice for Veterans and National Association of Drug Court Professionals board member, a long time passion of Senator Umberg’s is providing safe alternatives to incarceration – working through collaborative courts – for drug offenders, those with mental health issues, veterans, etc.
