Before we dive into the fun questions, here’s a quick introduction to Judge Sheila Shah Lichtblau— one of Marin County’s most versatile and community-minded judicial officers. Judge Lichtblau has served on the Marin Superior Court since January 2017, working in the criminal, family, and now civil divisions. She previously led the family division as its supervising judge, and since 2019 has also sat on the appellate division, where she has served as presiding judge since 2021. Additionally, she presides over Community Court in partnership with Legal Aid of Marin and serves as the court’s liaison to the Marin County Office of Education for both the mock trial competition and the Real DUI program in high schools.

Judge Lichtblau earned her JD from UC Hastings (now UC College of the Law San Francisco) and her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley. Her early career included five years with a nonprofit representing low-income and disabled Spanish-speaking clients, followed by civil practice as a partner at Wright, Robinson, Osthimer & Tatum. Beginning in 2006, she served in the Marin County Counsel’s Office and, before her appointment to the bench, volunteered as a judge pro tem in small claims court and as a mediator in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Now that you know a little about her impressive background, let’s get to the fun part! Here are some lighthearted questions to help you get to know Judge Lichtblau beyond the bench.

What is your guilty-pleasure snack during long trials or hearings?
Sour patch gummies. I know, they're terrible for you.

What is your favorite place in Marin (or your community) to spend a Saturday morning?
I love to run in the headlands. Also, there is nothing better than walking on the beach at Stinson before the crowds show up.

What book are you currently reading?
Why Nations Fail by Acemoglu. Also I just finished Thinking
Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, which is a book every
judge should read.

If the TV is on, what show makes you stop and watch?
I don't watch TV, but I used to watch the Daily Show when Jon Stewart was its regular host.

If you weren’t a judge, what career would you choose in an alternate universe?
Good question! Maybe a mediator? Maybe an entrepreneur? I have lots of ideas—although I'd probably be terrible at implementing them.

If you could invite someone from history to dinner, who would it be?
Could I have a dinner party with lots of historical figures? I'd invite Cleopatra, Benjamin Franklin, Eleanor Roosevelt and Nikita Kruschev. With Google translate, it would be a lively conversation!