If you are ever in need of a crash course in Marin legal history
of the past 40 years, Judge Dufficy would provide you a fascinating
first-person account of the oft-tumultuous trials that have utilized his
talents as both an eyewitness and a fully engaged participant. As a
member of a highly respected pioneer Marin family whose name elicits
instant respect in medical, legal, and community activism circles,
Dufficy has never eschewed controversy or tough decisions. The strength
he has gained from his eye-of-the-storm involvement – he defended
Fleeta Drumgo in the highly charged “San Quentin Six” trial, and he was
certified a “Specialist” by the California State Bar in both family and
criminal law – has shaped him into a top-notch mediator with first-rate
people skills.
“I thoroughly enjoy the challenge presented by
complex, frequently thorny mediation issues,” asserts Dufficy. “What
often amazes me is how even three or four decades worth of being an
attorney and a judge is still not adequate preparation for what awaits
you in delicate negotiation matters. That’s when you really have to dig
deeply into your soul, check your preconceptions at the door, and
maintain a completely open mind. The intensity of the proceedings is
sometimes breathtaking. These are very serious matters that will affect
people’s families, livelihoods, careers and holdings, so I take my role
as facilitator very seriously. The parties recognize this, which
allows us to proceed with a sense of fair play and mutual respect.”
Best known for his family law expertise,
Dufficy’s reputation has also earned solid cache in such litigation
matters as personal injury, real estate, construction, and probate law.
Low key and conservative in personal demeanor, Dufficy admits to a
passion for justice burning deep within. His peers refer to him as a
wonderfully affable and loyal friend who brings wisdom, balance, and a
delightfully dry sense of humor to sensitive proceedings which sorely
need each of these attributes.
ON THE BENCH
During his tenure on the bench, Judge Dufficy
served two two-year terms as Presiding Judge of the Superior Court. Over
the years he has presided over all calendar assignments, including the
Court's Appellate Division. Judge Dufficy also served ten years in the
Civil Department, six years as Probate Court Judge, and five years as
the Family Law Judge, as well as participating in the Marin County
Office of Education Mock Trial competition.
BACKGROUND
Before taking the bench, Judge Dufficy
practiced law for 26 years in Marin County, including two years as a
Marin County Deputy District Attorney. In addition, Judge Dufficy was
elected President of the Marin County Bar Association in 1984. His
private practice emphasized family law and criminal defense, but also
included essentially all areas of civil litigation, including personal
injury, real estate, construction, and probate matters. As a lawyer, he
tried more than 100 civil and criminal jury trials and was certified a
"Specialist" by the California State Bar in both family and criminal
law. Judge Dufficy has taken several mediation courses, both privately
and through the CJA.
MEMBERSHIPS and SPECIAL HONORS
President, Marin County Bar Association (1984)
EDUCATION
J.D., Hastings College of the Law, 1963
B.A., Stanford University, 1960
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