Judge Mary Wiss, one of just two judges overseeing complex civil litigation at San Francisco County Superior Court, became the first woman to preside over the complex department in 2014. Over 13 years she’s served in a variety of roles on the bench, handling everything from misdemeanors to mental health issues. She recently spoke with The Recorder about her style of questioning and what lawyers can learn from the court reporter.
I’m sure you handle all your cases evenly, but are there certain types of matters that naturally draw your attention? I like them all. I’ve liked every assignment and I’ve liked every case. The case is not the file. The case is real people, real problems, real conflict, and how is all of that going to unfold. So it might be business or insurance or pharmaceuticals [or] the financial world. And the great thing I think about being a lawyer and a judge is that you get to learn about all these different areas, unlike other professions. My dad used to tell me, “It’s a poor day when you don’t learn something new.” It was a frequent phrase he used. So I have a lot of rich days.
