Santa Clara County, CA March 7, 2000 Election
Smart Voter

Professional History of Thomas Spielbauer

By Thomas Spielbauer

Candidate for Judge of the Superior Court; County of Santa Clara; Office 14

This information is provided by the candidate
The professional history of Thomas Spielbauer.
Thomas Spielbauer joined the Santa Clara County Public Defender's Office in March 1981. During his service with that office, he has handled almost every kind of case. He has served in the juvenile dependency section for seven years, acquiring an expertise in juvenile dependency law. He was the lead attorney of the Juvenile Dependency Unit from 1995 through 1997, when the Public Defender withdrew from that practice of law. He currently handles felony cases.

Thomas Spielbauer's representation of parents in juvenile proceedings have not only brought about a profound belief in the family unit as the essence of and the core of a healthy society, but has caused him to undertake many extraordinary activities directed towards family preservation. He has advocated for reforms in the juvenile system to make the system more supportive of the extended family structure. He has testified in Sacramento on numerous occasions before legislative committees. He has on many occasions written and submitted language of proposed legislation. He has worked closely with assemblymen and senators of both parties in Sacramento as well as with Capitol Resources Institute to bring about family-oriented reforms. He has further litigated on behalf of his clients before the California Sixth District Appellate Court, California Supreme Court, Federal District Court and the United States Supreme Court.

As a part of his commitment to strengthen and advocate on behalf of the family unit and the extended family unit, Mr. Spielbauer was a founding officer of the Family Preservation Society, a non-profit California Corporation, the purpose of which is to advocate, support and strengthen the American family unit. This service remained operational for 4 years, without cost. He additionally has been a vocal advocate of bringing jury wisdom into the dependency system, particularly when the crucial and substantial legal rights of parents and children are at stake.

Thomas Spielbauer, along with Zacharias B. Ledet, Esq. and Aram James, Esq. founded the Citizens to Elect Our Public Defender in 1998. He, in an effort to bring accountability to the office and responsibility of the Public Defender to the community, has authored an initiative petition to amend the Santa Clara County Charter so that the Public Defender will be elected rather than appointed, among other provisions. The initiative is visionary, powerful and extraordinary in scope and reveals much about his beliefs and values. Learn much more by going to the Elect Public Defender web site. This initiative petition will soon be circulated for placement onto the ballot.

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