William Stephens, groundbreaking Marin County judge, dies
William Stephens, the first Black judge in the Marin County court system, died on May 17 at MarinHealth Medical Center. He was 88.
Mr. Stephens had pulmonary fibrosis, said his son, Haynes Stephens of Seattle.
Mr. Stephens, who lived in Mill Valley, was known in the community for his transformative legacy on racial inclusion in the county, his son said.
“He came to Marin for broader pastures and greater opportunity and I think he found what he was looking for when he got here,” he said. “It speaks to some of the last challenges of diversity and the minority experience in Marin.”
Mr. Stephens was born on March 2, 1935, in New Orleans. He attended Sacramento High School and San Jose State University, where he received a degree in accounting. He worked for the Department of Water Resources before enrolling at the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law, now known as the University of California College of the Law.
During his career, Mr. Stephens worked as a public defender in Contra Costa County, as a member of the William Bagley firm and at his private practice in Sausalito.
Mr. Stephens was appointed to the Marin County Municipal Court by Gov. Jerry Brown in 1979. This followed an election bid for the court in 1976 that he lost by 2 percentage points. He later became a Superior Court judge when the courts merged.
Howard Melamed, a Walnut Creek attorney, said he was a classmate of Mr. Stephens at UC Hastings. They graduated in 1967.
“He is that rare example of obtaining support on reelection from both the Marin County DA’s office and public defender’s office,” Melamed said. “Stephens had an even keel on the bench, which I observed more than once. Litigants could count on a fair shake in his court.”
His chief characteristics included kindness and wisdom, Melamed said.
“Not only was Bill a superior mind, but an outstanding human being who understood the need for fairness on the bench,” Melamed said.
Mr. Stephens retired in 1999. He also served as chair of the Marin County Human Rights Commission.
Felecia Gaston, founder of the Marin City nonprofit Performing Stars, called him a mentor to her and the youths in her organization. She said she met him 33 years ago when she started the organization and he volunteered to put together a civic education program for the youths, complete with tours of the Marin County Civic Center.
“I call him the Thurgood Marshall of Marin County,” she said. “He’s our civil rights leader. He cared about Marin City, he cared about the young Black men. That’s the kind of person he was.”
Haynes Stephens said that later in life his father grew a fond appreciation for the arts. He loved Motown and classical adagios, and even joined an amateur dance group called the “Don’t Quit Your Day Job Dancers.”
“He always had a sort of passion or desire for traveling and seeking different ways people were living around the world,” he said. “He had a light and laid back demeanor about him that was calming and peaceful that I will miss and try to repurpose into my demeanor and approach.”
Mr. Stephens’s other survivors include children Stuart Stephens and Patrick Michael Stephens and grandchildren Sabrina Stephens, Britany Stephens and Madison Stephens.
The family plans to hold a memorial service in Marin City. The venue and date are still being determined.