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The Contra Costa County Superior Court announced it appointed J. Yamamoto as a court commissioner.
Yamamoto assumed her role Aug. 7 and presides in Department 57, handling unlawful detainers, domestic violence and civil harassment restraining orders, small claims and civil discovery/sanctions motions at the Martinez courthouse.
The court said in a statement Yamamoto comes to the court “following many years of experience in contract, labor law and probate/estate matters as a solo practitioner. She has served as a pro tem judge in the court’s temporary judge program for the last three years, handling many of the same cases she will oversee as commissioner.”
Yamamoto has been an adjunct professor for 25 years, teaching contract law and accounting. She has also worked as pro bono senior counsel for 15 years, conducting seminars and providing legal advice on probate/estate and elder law issues.
Yamamoto earned her Juris Doctor degree from Taft University and her master’s in business administration and Bachelor of Science degrees from San Francisco State University. Yamamoto replaces Judge Gina Dashman following her appointment to the bench.
The difference between a judge and a commissioner is that judges in California are elected or appointed by the governor. A commissioner is hired by the court to perform specific judicial duties, such as hearing traffic, small claims, and similar matters to assist judges with their caseloads.
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