“A strong woman knows that she has strength enough for the journey, but a woman of strength knows that it is in the journey where she will become strong.”
Luke Easter
The Kern County Bar Association is proud to recognize the exceptional lifetime achievements of the Honorable Colette Humphrey with its highest honor, the Bench and Bar Award. The awardee is selected yearly by a committee consisting of esteemed members of the bench, past awardees, and attorneys whose law practices represent all bars, including government agencies in the legal profession.
Many who know and practice before the Hon. Humphrey revere her as a humble yet amiable and approachable judge with an extensive breadth of legal knowledge. Attorneys know her well for her ability to finish a lengthy criminal calendar in a small cozy room buzzing with verbose defense lawyers and stubborn DDA’s well before the noon hour. With an impressive intellect, she can complete a tremendous amount of work in a very short period despite an atmosphere of what at times appears to be organized chaos. In a recent Daily Journal interview, she attributed her management skills by saying, “I like being organized and knowing how to run things efficiently.” Judge Humphrey said, “it’s kind of like my forte.” Long time friend, Craig Harrison, who has known Judge Humphrey since the first grade, put a different spin on her organizational skills, “she is always in charge! She can make you think it is your plan, but she is in control. I love to tease her about loving to be in control from selecting which plays to watch at Stars Theater to our sitting arrangements at dinner, however, the problem is, she is always right. Her gift is that she is always willing to step up and help; just don’t get in her way. ”
Judge Humphrey was born in Casper, Wyoming, and her family moved to Bakersfield when she was four years old. She attended grade school at St. Francis Catholic School and high school at Garces Memorial High School (as did her children, Julianne and Danielle). She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English (in three years) from California State College, Bakersfield. She received her Juris Doctor from University of San Diego School of Law in 1984. After passing the July 1984 California Bar Exam she spent the early part of 1985 working for a solo practitioner in San Diego.
Fortunately for all of us, she was hired by former District Attorney Ed Jagels and returned to Bakersfield and began working as a deputy district attorney in September of 1985. Like all new Deputy DA’s, she began prosecuting in the misdemeanor unit and eventually worked her way into the general felony unit, the narcotics unit, and ultimately, the special prosecutions unit where she successfully handled many high-profile cases. Judge Humphrey was eventually made a supervisor of the preliminary hearing unit, the misdemeanor unit, and the complaint desk (filing unit).
Judge Humphrey’s career and life changed when then-Superior Court Judge Rebecca Wiseman (now, retired 5th DCA Justice) advised her that she should put her name in for a judicial appointment. Judge Humphrey had never considered the idea but was counseled by Judge Wiseman that the Governor would not be able to appoint women to the bench if qualified women did not apply for the job. Judge Humphrey followed this sage advice, applied for a judicial appointment, and at age 38 was appointed to the Kern County Municipal Court by Governor Pete Wilson in February of 1998. She was elevated to the Superior Court by unification in 2000.
Throughout her career, Judge Humphrey has handled numerous assignments on the bench including supervising the misdemeanor unit, the pre-preliminary hearing calendar, and the criminal calendar. In 2013 and 2014, Judge Humphrey made history when she became the first female presiding judge of the Kern County Superior Court. While serving as the presiding judge she began the process of implementing a mental health court in Kern County which eventually became the STAR court presided over by Judge Gill. Always the trailblazer, Judge Humphrey once again made history when she volunteered to serve a second term as presiding judge in 2021 and 2022, with the Honorable Judy Dulcich as Assistant Presiding. This was the very first time two females served in that capacity in the history of Kern County.
In addition to the above, while serving as both PJ and APJ, Judge Humphrey was actively involved in vetting prospective judicial candidates and contacting the Judicial Appointments Secretary to ensure that Kern County was going to get its allotted judicial officers (and then some) as quickly as possible. Moreover, she ensured she had the requisite contacts of those who controlled the purse strings to insure our courts remained fully funded. Just as important, and as a testament to her high standards, during the years Judge Humphrey served as Presiding Judge, Kern County possessed some of the highest court efficiency ratings in the state of California.
Judge Humphrey is currently assigned to Department 14, the Pre-preliminary hearing department attempting to resolve criminal cases prior to proceeding to preliminary hearing. Hers is a job tantamount to herding cats, however, she is quite proficient, and the reduction in both preliminary hearings and trials are indeed noticeable when she is assigned to this courtroom. Prominent criminal defense attorney, H.A. Sala, said this about our recipient, “Judge Humphrey epitomizes the Bench and Bar Award which recognizes outstanding service to the administration of justice and the manner in which it is accomplished. She has demonstrated a commitment to public safety and to respecting the rights and dignity of those who appear before her. Judge Humphrey has an unparalleled ability to analyze the facts of a case from the perspective of opposing legal adversaries, and apply the law without bias, favor or prejudice. She has developed a gifted approach to settling complex criminal cases by considering the impact of the offense on victims and developing a sentencing structure that will ameliorate the harm, promote restitution and ensure accountability and rehabilitation of the accused. In doing so, she has accomplished an admirable contribution to the
administration of justice, which has served our community in immeasurable.
ways. She has been instrumental in reducing recidivism, protecting society.
and ensuring true justice for all.” Mr. Sala’s comment truly capture’s Judge Humphrey’s work ethics, high moral standards, and her love for her community.
Former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg said, “I try to do the good job that I have to the best of my ability, and I really don’t think about whether I’m inspirational. I just do the best I can.” Unbeknownst to Justice Ginsberg, she was inspirational. Like Ginsberg, Judge Humphrey performs her job to the best of her ability, whether as a mother, a professional, a volunteer, a judge, or friend. Judge Humphrey doesn’t think she inspires, but along the way, she and her husband, defense lawyer Kyle Humphrey, have raised two beautiful successful daughters who are now attorneys. Mom, you inspired. Every high school student, law student, young lawyer, and aspiring judge who sat inside her courtroom and observed how she treated everyone with the utmost respect and dignity, whether they wore a business suit or an orange jumpsuit, she performs her job to the best of her ability, and in doing so, she inspires. It is in this long and successful legal journey carved by destiny, that her strength continues to grow.
Judge Humphrey, the Kern County Bar Association recognizes and appreciates your nearly 40 years of dedication and exemplary service to the legal profession and the positive image of the legal system that you have projected upon our community. Thank you for your dedication, hard work and inspiration.