Danielle Douglas ’96 took a career aptitude test in high school and got “lawyer” or “judge.” She didn’t think those careers were achievable, so she decided to study to become a paralegal.
But her professors at Missouri Western had other plans. They encouraged her to pursue not only a bachelor’s degree, but to go on to law school, and last year, Douglas was appointed judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa. Today, she tries mostly criminal cases for a county with a population of more than 1 million.
Originally from Redwood City, California, Douglas came to Missouri Western with her husband, who was recruited to play football, and their two-year-old daughter. Although it was the first time she had left California, she said college was a good experience.
“It was smaller and more nurturing,” she says of Missouri Western. “I would have been lost in the shuffle at a larger school.”
Douglas had attended a community college in California, so she started taking legal studies courses at Missouri Western to continue toward her goal of becoming a paralegal. But she says her professors gave her the confidence to set higher career goals.
Every professor was hands-on and made sure students succeeded, Douglas said. She came in with a GPA of 2.5 and raised it to a 3.8 by the time she graduated. “The professors actually pulled me aside and said, ‘We’re not going to let you get away with this. We know you can do better.’”
One of those professors was Jill Miller ’73, professor emerita of criminal justice. “She had a reputation as being a tough instructor, and I appreciated that,” Douglas said.
Miller was a good role model, Douglas said, along with Joanne Katz, professor of legal studies, who taught the first class Douglas took at Missouri Western.
She says Katz became a mentor for her and was the first person to encourage her to consider law school. “I always wanted to do well in her classes so I could show her she wasn’t wrong about me.”
After graduating from Missouri Western with a criminal justice/legal studies degree, Douglas kept in touch with Katz throughout law school at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, and throughout her career as deputy district attorney for the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and assistant district attorney for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.
Hon. Danielle Douglas ’96 and Joanne Katz, professor of legal studies
Last fall, Douglas invited Katz to be one of the speakers at her judicial investiture ceremony in January 2015.
“She was one of the main reasons I applied to law school,” Douglas says of Katz. “I always wanted to, but I didn’t have the confidence. But knowing her made me think I could do it. She had a profound effect on my life and career.”
“I think this reflects what Missouri Western does best,” Katz said. “You cannot underestimate the power of relationships between professors and students.”
Douglas said, as a judge, she enjoys the “mental gymnastics” of dealing with complex issues. She also said her criminal justice courses prepared her well. “Having that criminal justice knowledge made me a better prosecutor and judge.”
The mother of three daughters said being a judge is sometimes like being a parent. “You should always do the right thing and you can’t rule on emotions. It is my job to ensure that there is justice.”
Douglas explained that a courtroom is an opportunity for litigants to have their say, and her job is “a balance between keeping in control of the courtroom and letting people have their say.”
“She is the American dream,” Katz said. “If you are bright enough, if you work hard enough, you really can accomplish anything.”
“I am where I am today because of Missouri Western,” Douglas said.