Report on the Retirement of Presiding Justice Kathleen E. O’Leary and Her Contributions to Sustainable Development Goals

Presiding Justice Kathleen E. O’Leary of the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Three, has announced her retirement effective July 31, 2025. Her career, spanning nearly 44 years within the California judiciary, is marked by significant contributions to the advancement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Career Trajectory and Judicial Milestones

Justice O’Leary’s career progression demonstrates a consistent commitment to public service and the strengthening of judicial institutions.

1. 1981: Appointed to the West Orange County Municipal Court by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr., following five years of service in the Orange County Public Defender’s office.
2. 1986: Appointed to the Orange County Superior Court by Governor George Deukmejian.
3. 1997: Elected as the first female Presiding Judge of the Orange County Superior Court, a position to which she was reelected twice.
4. 2000: Appointed Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Three, by Governor Gray Davis.
5. 2012: Appointed Presiding Justice of the same division by Governor Brown, becoming the first woman to hold this position.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Justice O’Leary’s work is a direct embodiment of SDG 16, which aims to promote just, peaceful, and inclusive societies by building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Promoting Equal Access to Justice for All (Target 16.3)

Her career has been dedicated to ensuring the justice system is accessible to everyone.

• She served on and chaired numerous Judicial Council committees focused on access for self-represented litigants.
• She was instrumental in ensuring the Court of Appeal remained in the county’s seat of government, maintaining physical accessibility for the public.
• Her early career as a public defender provided foundational insights into the challenges faced by vulnerable populations within the justice system.

Developing Effective, Accountable, and Transparent Institutions (Target 16.6)

Justice O’Leary has been a leader in modernizing court administration to improve efficiency and accountability.

• She oversaw the complex unification of Orange County’s superior and municipal courts.
• She guided the court through the transition to state funding and the aftermath of the Orange County bankruptcy.
• Her leadership was critical in the implementation of e-filing and the management of court operations during the COVID-19 crisis.
• She served on Judicial Council committees addressing financial accountability, efficiency, and the future of the courts.

Ensuring Inclusive and Representative Decision-Making (Target 16.7)

A key focus of her work has been to make the justice system more inclusive and guard against discrimination.

• As Chairperson of the California Supreme Court’s Jury Selection Work Group, she studied measures to guard against impermissible discrimination in jury selection, directly supporting the goal of a representative justice system.

Contributions to Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality

Advancing Women’s Leadership in Public Life (Target 5.5)

Justice O’Leary’s career represents a significant milestone for gender equality in the judiciary, fulfilling the SDG 5 target of ensuring women’s full participation and equal opportunities for leadership.

• In 1997, she became the first woman elected Presiding Judge of the Orange County Superior Court.
• In 2012, she became the first woman to serve as Presiding Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Three.

Contributions to Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities

Fostering Inclusion within the Justice System (Target 10.2)

By championing access and fairness, Justice O’Leary’s efforts align with SDG 10’s aim to empower and promote the inclusion of all, irrespective of economic or other status.

• Her work to improve access for self-represented litigants directly addresses economic barriers to justice.
• Her leadership in combating discrimination in jury selection promotes racial and ethnic inclusion within the legal process.

Recognition and Legacy

Justice O’Leary’s profound impact on strengthening judicial institutions and promoting access to justice is reflected in the numerous awards she has received.

• 1999: California Judicial Council’s Jurist of the Year Award
• 2006: Orange County Bar Association’s Franklin G. West Award
• 2007: Aranda Access to Justice Award
• 2014: California Women Lawyers’ Joan Dempsey Klein Award

Her legacy, as noted by colleagues Justice Maurice Sanchez and Justice Joanne Motoike, is one of visionary leadership, mentorship, and an unwavering commitment to public service, which has fortified the court as a strong and inclusive institution for future generations.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  This goal is relevant because the article repeatedly highlights Justice O’Leary’s role as a trailblazer for women in the judiciary. It explicitly mentions she was the “first woman in Orange County to hold” the position of Presiding Judge of the Superior Court and later the “first woman to hold this position” of Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal. This directly relates to achieving gender equality and empowering women in leadership positions within public institutions.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article connects to this goal through Justice O’Leary’s work to ensure fairness and combat discrimination within the justice system. Her role as “Chairperson of the Jury Selection Work Group studying changes or new measures to guard against impermissible discrimination in jury selection” is a direct effort to reduce inequalities of outcome. Furthermore, her recognition by diverse groups such as the “Hispanic Bar Association,” “Orange County Asian America Bar Association,” and the “Orange County Lavender Bar Association” implies a career dedicated to inclusivity and serving all members of the community, thereby reducing inequality.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This is the most prominent SDG in the article. Justice O’Leary’s entire career, as described, is dedicated to strengthening judicial institutions and promoting justice. The text emphasizes her dedication to “improving court administration and access to justice for all.” Specific examples include her leadership in the “unification of the county’s superior and municipal courts,” the “implementation of e-filing,” ensuring “financial accountability and efficiency,” and her focus on “access and fairness” and “self-represented litigants.” These actions are central to building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.

   • The article provides clear evidence of progress towards this target by noting that Justice O’Leary became the “first woman in Orange County to hold” the position of Presiding Judge and later the “first woman to hold this position” as Presiding Justice. Her appointments to these high-level leadership roles in the judiciary exemplify the achievement of this target.

2. Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices…

   • This target is addressed through Justice O’Leary’s leadership of the “Jury Selection Work Group” which was tasked with studying how “to guard against impermissible discrimination in jury selection.” This is a direct action aimed at reforming judicial practices to eliminate discrimination and ensure more equal outcomes.

3. Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.

   • The article explicitly states that Justice O’Leary “dedicated her career to improving court administration and access to justice for all.” Her work on committees for “access and fairness” and “self-represented litigants,” as well as her effort to keep the Court of Appeal in a central location to “ensure everyone had access,” directly support this target.

4. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.

   • Her leadership through significant administrative challenges like the “unification of the county’s superior and municipal courts,” the “transition to state funding,” the “implementation of e-filing,” and managing the “COVID-19 crisis” all point to the development of a more effective and resilient judicial institution. Her committee work on “financial accountability and efficiency” further underscores this connection.

5. Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.

   • This target is reflected in her work to make the justice system more inclusive. Chairing the workgroup to prevent “impermissible discrimination in jury selection” is a key example of making a core judicial process more representative and inclusive of the entire community.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Proportion of women in senior judicial leadership positions.

   • While not providing a percentage, the article implies this indicator by stating Justice O’Leary was the “first woman” to hold two different senior judicial posts in Orange County. This serves as a qualitative and historical data point measuring progress from zero women in those roles to one, marking a significant step in female representation in judicial leadership.

2. Existence of mechanisms to prevent discrimination in the justice system.

   • The article points to this indicator by mentioning the “Jury Selection Work Group studying changes or new measures to guard against impermissible discrimination.” The formation and work of such a group is a tangible indicator of an institution’s effort to become more inclusive and fair.

3. Implementation of initiatives to improve access to justice.

   • The article implies this through its mention of Justice O’Leary’s service on committees for “access and fairness” and “self-represented litigants.” The existence of these committees and her work on them serve as an indicator of concrete actions being taken to improve access to the legal system for all.

4. Implementation of administrative and technological reforms in public institutions.

   • Progress here is indicated by the successful “implementation of e-filing” and the “unification of the county’s superior and municipal courts.” These are specific, measurable reforms that demonstrate the development of more effective and modern institutions.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: newsroom.courts.ca.gov