Tips from the Bench: Hon. Blaine Bowman
Clark Hill, LLP
On the fourth floor of San Diego Superior Court’s North County Division is department N-31 of which Judge Blaine Bowman presides. Judge Bowman operates a “stress free trial department” as much as possible. He is supportive of all lawyers who come to his court, but he especially enjoys helping new lawyers appearing in his department. If you’re in trial before Judge Bowman and have a question, asking for help is not something he frowns upon.
How Judge Bowman’s Career Began
Judge Bowman started his career as a civil litigation attorney working for the same firm both during and after law school. He then took a job as a Deputy District Attorney (DA) in San Diego and never looked back. From 1990 to 2008 he tried 133 jury trials ranging from misdemeanors to felony homicides.
San Diego Superior Court – North District – Department N-31
He felt he had the best job in the world when he was working as a DA. One memorable case he had was featured on Court TV, The People of the State of California v. Danny Palm. The case involved a shooting of an individual who was deemed “a jerk” by Judge William Mudd who reduced the conviction to manslaughter. See https://www.nytimes.com/1997/04/19/us/judge-reduces-term-for-man-who-killed-bully.html. Judge Bowman had only been a prosecutor for about 5 years when he took this case to trial and it still comes to mind when he thinks of his time as a prosecutor.
Hobbies Outside the Legal World
After passing the bar, Judge Bowman took some time away from the law and moved to Mammoth Lakes, California where he was a part-time professional wildlife photographer. Judge Bowman would photograph the outdoors and the John Muir Trail by backpacking in with his camera gear to get the shots.
When he accumulated enough time off as a DA, he took leave to photograph the wildlife in Alaska. His courtroom displays some of his best photographs showing grizzly bears, the Alaskan frontier, and harp seals. To capture the harp seal photographs he had to jump from a helicopter in a survival suit onto ice floes just to get the photograph. Judge Bowman used his past experience to make his courtroom look like an inviting art gallery for the public to see.
Judge Bowman is also a professor at San Diego State University where he teaches criminal law. He has taught over 200 students each year since 1996 and has sworn in many of his former students who went on to become lawyers. He enjoys giving back to the community and encouraging those who want to become lawyers to achieve their goals.
Advice for lawyers Wanting a Spot on the Bench
Judge Bowman admits he didn’t always want to be a judge, but since he has taken the bench, he can see some of paths people take to get judgeship.
His first piece of advice is to protect your reputation. There is not a case worth damaging your reputation as a lawyer because that sticks with you forever. When the time does come for your judicial background check, letters go to all opposing counsel, judges, and others who know you asking what kind of lawyer you are and why they should consider you for the judgeship. Your reputation is something which needs to be protected at all costs.
His other piece of advice is to try cases. As a judge you preside over trials and if you don’t know how they are run or how they operate you may not be qualified to be a judge.
Be confident in what you do and do not be afraid to ask questions when you need help; someone like Judge Bowman may be there to help you along the way.