About
Since graduating from Stanford Law School in 1974, Judge LaDoris Hazzard Cordell (ret.) has devoted her career in the law to creating greater access and equal justice for people of color and low-income individuals. An author, artist, vocalist, and pianist, she resides in California with her partner and is the proud mother of two daughters.
CV | HONORS/AWARDS | BIO
1975
The first lawyer in the western United States to receive an Earl Warren Fellowship from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Inc.
1976
The first lawyer to establish a private law practice in East Palo Alto, CA; a predominately African American and Latino community.
1978-1982
As the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at Stanford Law School developed an admissions program that led to a dramatic increase in the number of African American and Latino students at the law school, establishing Stanford Law School as a leader in the nation in its enrollment of students of color.
1982
The first African American woman judge in Northern California; appointed to the Municipal Court by Governor Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown, Jr.
1983
In partnership with the National Conference of Christians & Jews, established the first formal restitution program for crime victims in Santa Clara County, CA.
1985
The first sitting judge to publicly demand that the California Judges’ Association (CJA) divest its investments in companies doing business in South Africa to protest apartheid (the CJA eventually fully divested those investments).
1987
The first California judge to require the installation of Ignition Interlock Devices (IID) to prevent convicted drunk drivers from drinking and driving.
1988
The first Black woman to sit on the Superior Court of Northern California, and the first Black Superior Court Judge in Santa Clara County’s history.
1990
Created one of the nation’s first Supervised Visitation programs to provide a safe environment for children to visit with their non-custodial parents. And established the first program in California that trained senior citizens to assist the court in monitoring the well-being of children placed in guardianship.
1994
Created the county’s first G.R.E.A.T. Project (Guardianship Review and Evaluation Assessment Team) in which private citizens volunteered to monitor children who were placed in court-ordered guardianships.
2004
As Vice Provost and Special Counselor to the President, created Stanford University’s first-ever Community Treasures program recognizing the community service of Stanford University staff.
2004
The first person elected to the Palo Alto City Council who did not accept any monetary campaign contributions, and instead relied upon grassroots volunteers.
2004
Rose Bird Memorial Award, California Women Lawyers.
2004
PALO ALTO CITY HALL – Fulfilling her “first campaign promise” to supporters, the first public official in the nation to lead a soul line dance at a swearing-in to office ceremony.
2010
After a national search, the City of San Jose, CA chose Judge Cordell to be the City’s Independent Police Auditor (IPA). Under her leadership from 2010 to 2015, the IPA office gained national recognition for its groundbreaking work in civilian oversight of the police.
During her final years on the bench, and tenure as the Independent Police Auditor for the City of San Jose, Judge Cordell produced a series of Legal Cartoons...
2013
The Women Trailblazers in the Law Project (WTP) captures the oral histories of women pioneers in the legal profession nationwide, memorializing their stories in their own voices and preserving their experiences and observations for future generations.
Oral History | Biography | Photo Gallery
2014
Co-founded the African American Composer Initiative (AACI); an organization whose mission is to bring the music of these composers to the world.
2015
In the wake of revelations that 14 San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) officers had exchanged numerous racist and homophobic text messages, The Blue Ribbon Panel on Transparency, Accountability, and Fairness in Law Enforcement was established as an advisory body to San Francisco’s District Attorney. Panel member: Hon. LaDoris H. Cordell (ret.) – 81 Recommendations to Evaluate the San Francisco Police Department
2015
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved a Resolution establishing the Blue Ribbon Commission on Improving Custody Operations. The purpose of the Commission was to assess custody operations and recommend improvements. Chairperson: Judge LaDoris Cordell (ret.) – 101 Recommendations to Protect Inmates' Rights
2017
THE RESISTANCE
A gallery of 43 Bay Area lawmakers, activists, immigrants, lawyers, engineers, environmentalists, and self-styled revolutionaries preparing to take on the Donald Trump presidency, come what may.
SAN FRANCISCO MAGAZINE
2017
Interviewed by The HistoryMakers: The Honorable LaDoris Cordell.
The two largest efforts to record the African American experience in the first-person, the WPA Slave Narratives and The HistoryMakers Collection, are both permanently housed at the Library of Congress, bringing the stories of the enslaved together with those of their descendants.
2020
From 1969 to December 17, 2020, non-residents faced jail time or fines up to $1,000 for visiting the City of Palo Alto’s Foothills Park. Represented by the ACLU of Northern California, Judge Cordell was a plaintiff in the successful lawsuit to lift the residents-only restriction.
2020
In the aftermath of a racial incident that went viral involving a Black female professor and campus officers, Judge Cordell conducted an audit of the Public Safety Services Department (PSSD) of Santa Clara University; all of her recommendations to improve the PSSD were adopted by the university.
2020
Appointed to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Innocence Commission; a panel of six experts volunteering their time to serve on the Commission. The Innocence Commission is tasked with evaluating cases where an incarcerated person asserts that they were wrongfully convicted.
2021
Authored her first book, Her Honor: My Life on the Bench... What Works, What’s Broken, and How to Change It
2022
Recognizing the Historic Contributions of Santa Clara County Women, one of 25 women leaders in the South Bay honored with murals painted by 13 women tribute artists. The murals are part of the Womanhood Project.
Tribute Artist: Elba Raquel Martinez
2024
San Mateo County, California commissioned Judge Cordell to conduct an independent fact-finding investigation into complaints against the County Sheriff's office. Immediately following the release of her 408-page report into a litany of transgressions, the Board of Supervisors called for the Sheriff to resign, and fired her Executive Director. REPORT OF INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION
Past/Present/Future
A spokesperson for the efforts to revise California’s draconian Three-Strikes Law (done!) and to abolish the state’s death penalty (still a work in progress).
