Williamena Kwapo | OBSERVER Staff Writer

Bunmi Awoniyi’s office exudes creativity and warmth the moment one steps inside. Sunlight streams through expansive windows overlooking the city, casting a glow on personal touches like family photographs, vibrant paintings and cultural artifacts. 

If not for the meticulously arranged judicial books, the distinctive white wig worn during her time as a barrister in London, and a judicial robe bearing the words “Bunmi Awoniyi,” one could almost forget being on the sixth floor of the Sacramento County Superior Court, where Awoniyi is making history for the second time.

In January, Judge Bunmi Awoniyi reached a groundbreaking milestone as the first Black presiding judge of the Sacramento Superior Court.

This came more than 10 years after she made history as the first Nigerian appointed to any California court.

Since it was established in 1850, the Sacramento Superior Court had never had a Black person serve as presiding judge, the individual responsible for overseeing the court’s operations.

The presiding judge occupies a crucial position, managing the caseload, upholding order, and making legal rulings. They supervise proceedings, ensuring fairness, efficiency, and adherence to the law. From scheduling hearings to guiding juries and rendering legal decisions, the presiding judge ensures the wheels of justice turn smoothly. 

In 2022, Awoniyi assumed the role of assistant presiding judge under Presiding Judge Michael G. Bowman. She served in this capacity until her unanimous election as the presiding judge, with all 68 current judges in Sacramento voting in favor of her appointment. She began her two-year term on Jan. 1.

As the first Black presiding judge, Awoniyi recognizes the historic importance of her appointment for herself and future African American judges and attorneys.

“When you’re the first of anything, it is difficult because you feel like you’re in the spotlight,” Awoniyi says. “So yes, you get the praise. And yes, you get some honor. But there’s also the pressure you put on yourself to make sure that you do so excellently and also paving the way. No longer is it a first. No longer is it going to be something that is unknown. It’s something that is attainable and the pathway has been cleared. I hope to inspire people that look like me to know that you can reach the highest level.”

Black or African American judges comprise 9% of California courts, but in Sacramento, their representation is only 3.8%, according to the most recent data from the Judicial Council of California.

Awoniyi acknowledges the glaring absence of diversity within the courts, and this realization heavily influenced her decision to pursue a judgeship.

“I was aware, like so many people were, that the bench was not as diversified. Here we were as attorneys bringing cases before a bench that didn’t necessarily look like the communities that they served,” she says. “I had clients that will say, ‘Why wouldn’t you put your name in to be considered for a judge?’”

Shanae Buffington, president of the California Association of Black Lawyers, sees Awoniyi’s appointment as a potential catalyst for creating more opportunities for more Black lawyers to become judges in Sacramento.

“I’m hoping to see more diverse judicial candidates being appointed to the bench and that the pipeline to the law profession is diversified starting from children’s elementary school,” she says.

Alana Mathews, a local attorney and member of the Wiley Manuel Bar Association, added, “It’s amazing to have that type of representation for that top position not only as a Black jurist but as a woman of color.”

Serving With Compassion

For Awoniyi, her history-making role as presiding judge serves as more than just inspiration for Black lawyers and judges; it’s also critically important for the people whose lives are directly affected by judicial decisions.

“It says how far we’ve come as a community in that when our constituents come through the door – Black and brown constituents – they should be able to think that the court serves their interests, that the court can adjudicate their interests fairly, and that the court is representative of them,“ Awoniyi says.  “When you see on the sixth floor of the courthouse that the presiding judge is a Black woman, whether or not I handle your case, I am the face of the court. It says that the court is inclusive of all members of our community and that we’re here to serve you.”

Judge Troy Nunley, who was called upon to vouch for Awoniyi when Gov. Jerry Brown first appointed her to the bench, said about Awoniyi, “You couldn’t have picked a better face of the court.” 

In 2012, Nunley was nominated by President Barack Obama as a U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of California, a position he has held since his appointment in 2013. Before his elevation to the federal bench, Nunley had served as a Sacramento County Superior Court judge, making him well acquainted with Awoniyi when she was an attorney primarily practicing family law.

Describing her as “humble and grounded,” Nunley enthusiastically endorsed Awoniyi’s candidacy when approached by the governor’s team.

“She set herself up to be an icon in this community in terms of Black women judges and Black women in law. We don’t have a lot here in Sacramento but if I had to say number one on that list, it would probably be her,” Nunley says.

Keith Staten, a local attorney and member of the Wiley Manuel Bar Association, has appeared in front of Judge Awoniyi for several of his cases. “Us trial lawyers just want judges that are honest, that allow us to work our case and so she does that,” he says. “She was very tough as a lawyer and she’s tough as a judge, but I think she shows a lot of compassion from the bench.”

The air of compassion, attentiveness, and humility that most spoke of was palpable during a recent hearing before Judge Awoniyi. The case was referred to as a compassionate hearing, a first for her, where an incarcerated Black man sought release due to a terminal illness. Throughout the proceedings, she displayed a remarkable sensitivity, particularly when addressing the inmate’s daughter. Recognizing the emotions reflected in her expression as attorneys and doctors presented their arguments, Judge Awoniyi allowed the daughter a moment to humanize her father and share her thoughts. While maintaining a firm stance and demanding answers to pertinent questions, she never lost sight of the fact that she was adjudicating on behalf of a person – a person with a family who cared for him.

“They’re very interesting cases. You’re dealing with somebody now who’s also very sick. But you’re also dealing with balancing your concerns about public safety, and the fact that they’ve already been convicted,” Awoniyi says. “The court weighs that all into consideration.”

Considering the law and statutes in this case, she ruled that he should be released.

Early Life

Awoniyi’s path to the judiciary is marked by a legacy of determination, acute legal acumen, and a commitment to living a life steeped in community and faith.

She was born in London to Nigerian parents who had immigrated to England in the late 1950s with the hope that their children would have a chance at a decent life. They settled in a low-income neighborhood in Tottenham, where they raised Awoniyi and her siblings.

“I came from a family of hardworking immigrants, first generations, and their aspiration was that their children would be one of these professionals, a doctor or lawyer, accountant, architect or engineer,” she says.

Her father was an accountant so she had no interest in the field. Her natural abilities in school leaned more towards the social sciences. She loved working with people and had a desire to help. Law seemed particularly suited for these characteristics, so she chose it. Or rather, she said the law chose her.

Despite being a low-income student, she found her way to some of England’s best universities. She obtained a bachelor’s of law from Essex University, pursued a master’s of law at Leicester University, and concluded her legal education at the Inns of Court School of Law in 1988.

Following a brief stint as a barrister in London, she was awarded the prestigious Pegasus Scholarship to practice law in the United States. The scholarship is extended to promising young barristers in the United Kingdom. It grants recipients the opportunity to engage in placements overseas, fostering a deeper understanding of different legal frameworks and promoting international legal collaboration. The scholarship assigned her to Sacramento.

“I thought that Sacramento was an extension of San Francisco. I was mistaken” she jokes. “I was used to the speed and the bustle and the hustle of London, with public transport and evening events out, and Sacramento wasn’t quite there. But Sacramento was good to me. Sacramento was a good landing place for me.”

With only $1,500 in her pocket and no family or friends, she arrived in Sacramento in 1990 to begin the scholarship and a history-making career.

Building A Legacy In Sacramento

Just four years after setting foot in Sacramento, Awoniyi opened a private practice exclusively devoted to family, immigration, and naturalization law. She began to craft a legacy within Sacramento’s legal community, showcasing her legal prowess, meticulous attention to detail, and unwavering dedication to her clients’ legal needs.

While managing a thriving law firm, Awoniyi remained deeply engaged with the community. She is a former president of the Wiley Manuel Bar Association. She found a church home at Center of Praise Ministries and is a volunteer leader through the church with its international ministry in countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, Namibia, Ghana, and Ethiopia. Additionally, she quickly acquainted herself with Sacramento’s Nigerian community, finding solace in their support and connection to her cultural roots, ensuring that she felt welcomed.

“When you are an immigrant, you look for familiarity, comfort, and identity,” she says. “They became my aunties, my uncles, my cousins. They embraced me and I embraced them.”

She found love with a Sierra Leonean immigrant man, got married, and began raising her own family.

Despite her success in private practice, blooming personal life, and dedication to community service, Awoniyi felt a compelling urge to climb higher within the legal profession.

“I couldn’t shake the desire to be a judge,” she confesses. “While I cherished my role as a lawyer in helping people, I recognized that I could have an even greater impact from the bench.”

In 2011, during Gov. Brown’s administration, Awoniyi submitted her application to become a judge. By this time, many in the Sacramento legal community held Awoniyi in high regard.

“I supported her when she first put her name in and wrote a letter of recommendation for her,” says Mathews. “I know the level of passion and brilliance that she would bring to the bench.”

The application process was arduous, requiring weeks to complete and months before Awoniyi received an interview with the governor’s team. She recalls the exact moment vividly. Standing in a store, her phone rang with the call from the governor’s office, informing her of her historic selection.

“We knew she was coming at some point,” Staten says. “She’s more than qualified.”

Now as presiding judge, she continues to be actively engaged in fostering future legal professionals, ensuring that pathways remain open for their advancement. She dedicates some of her time to teaching family law and community property law as an adjunct professor at Lincoln Law School.

Students regard her as a highly sought-after professor who shows genuine concern for their education and success in the legal field. They hold her in high esteem as a trailblazing judge.

“To make it to the position of being the first Black presiding judge of the Sacramento Superior Court is humbling,” she says, but also adds that for her, “it is the American dream.”