It is sudden nobody that Miguel Marquez, Santa Clara County's leader lawyer, is ready to make history.

The son of Mexican immigrants, Marquez was at the rapid observe considering the fact that his youth, reworking himself from an fundamental faculty pupil who battled with getting to know English to gathering levels from Stanford, Harvard and UC Berkeley.

And now he's getting ready to turning into the primary Latino justice at the influential San Jose-based Sixth District Court docket of Appeal, which shapes regulation from Silicon Valley to Monterey, and simply the 6th Latino appeals courtroom justice in California.

On Thursday, a three-member fee headed by Leader Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye is predicted to ensure Marquez, who have been nominated to the appeals court docket by Gov. Jerry Brown. No public competition has surfaced, and the fee mechanically approves a governor's judicial picks.

In files launched Tuesday, a state bar committee that evaluates judicial applicants rated Marquez "certified" for the appeals court, and he gained letters of improve from public officers together with Santa Clara County District Lawyer Jeff Rosen, former Public Defender Mary Greenwood and U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose.

The transfer will cement the 45-year-old's standing as a number one statewide determine within the Latino felony group. In fact, with the ink nonetheless now not dry on his Sixth District job, his title is being bandied approximately as a long run contender for the California Ideal Court,

which is now with out a Latino justice.

"It's a historical event," stated Micael Estremera, president of California's L. a. Raza Legal professionals Affiliation. "THAT IS specifically essential given the huge Latino inhabitants within the (Santa Clara, Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito) counties the place that courtroom handles cases."

Marquez declined to comment, mentioning his pending affirmation listening to. However his historical past and recognition are neatly documented, and he has earned in style reward for his mind and paintings ethic. The one query mark is his loss of revel in as a judge, making the soar into an appeals court docket with out first swinging a gavel.

He would be the first justice appointed to the Sixth District in its just about 30-year historical past who did not upward push from the trial courts.

"I suppose he is ready," mentioned Ann Ravel, former Santa Clara County recommend and now chairwoman of the state Honest Political Practices Fee. "Miguel is among the so much thoughtful, diligent felony analysts I HAVE seen."

Raised in Sacramento, Marquez got here from a family that rose from poverty but produced good fortune. Marquez advised a criminal newspaper a couple of years in the past that his father labored development highways, even as his mom held jobs in a seafood processing plant and as a housekeeper.

Yet all 4 youngsters went to school. Marquez at the start went to Stanford to turn into an engineer, however switched to pursue politics and regulation. He adopted his oldest sister, Raquel, to legislation faculty -- Brown as of late made her the primary Latina pass judgement on in Riverside County. Leticia Marquez-Magana, any other sister, is a San Francisco State biochemistry professor.

"As youngsters of Mexican immigrants, we had been once in a while the objective of unfair actions," Leticia mentioned in an e mail alternate. "Consequently, Miguel despises unfairness, particularly while it limits human doable. I FEEL that it's this selection of his persona that has pushed him to succeed."

As a lawyer, Marquez was somewhat nomadic, by no means staying in a single activity too lengthy. Sooner than coming to Santa Clara County, he held posts within the San Francisco Unified Faculty District, San Mateo County counsel's place of business and with San Francisco legislation firms.

While Santa Clara County politics don't seem to be precisely Chicago-style tough and tumble, Marquez has navigated a couple of controversies, significantly squaring off many times with San Jose over redevelopment cash. Santa Clara, at Marquez's direction, was the one county to enroll in the state in its criminal struggle in opposition to towns to abolish redevelopment agencies, a place sponsored in advance this 12 months by the California Ideally suited Court.

But in spite of tiffs with San Jose, Marquez didn't earn enemies.

"Yeah, we have now had our differences, and we nonetheless have differences," mentioned San Jose Town Lawyer Rick Doyle, who recollects spending one lengthy weekend going backward and forward with Marquez at the telephone over the redevelopment factor. "HOWEVER there are not any surprises. He's an issue solver. I WILL NOT call to mind any person higher for that (SIXTH District) position."

Howard Mintz covers criminal affairs. Touch him at 408-286-0236. Observe him at Twitter.com/hmintz.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ

Age: 45Occupation: Santa Clara County Recommend; pending nomination to Sixth District Court docket of Appeal.Experience: Santa Clara County counsel, 2009-12; assistant county counsel, 2008-09; normal counsel, San Francisco Unified College District, 2004-08; deputy county counsel, San Mateo County, 1998-2000, 2002-04; San Francisco regulation firms.Education: Stanford University, bachelor's level in public coverage; Harvard University, master's stage in public coverage; UC Berkeley, legislation degree.Noteworthy: Anticipated to grow to be first Latino to serve on Sixth District Court docket of Enchantment. Joined criminal battle with state to abolish native redevelopment agencies.Personal: Single, lives in San Jose; spare time activities come with reading, biking and traveling.