[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 84 (Monday, June 10, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO JUDGE WILMONT SWEENEY

                                 ______


                         HON. RONALD V. DELLUMS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 10, 1996

  Mr. DELLUMS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and appreciation 
that I call to your attention the extraordinary accomplishments of a 
devoted public servant, a noted and revered jurist, and a dear friend 
and colleague.
  Judge Wilmont Sweeney has just retired from the Superior Court of 
Alameda County, where he had served for 17 years and had been presiding 
judge of the Juvenile Division for 15 of those years. He was appointed 
by Gov. Jerry Brown, Jr., in 1979, elected in 1980 and reelected in 
1986. Prior to that he had been appointed in 1974 by Gov. Ronald Reagan 
as judge of the Municipal Court of the Berkeley-Albany Judicial 
District of Alameda County, and elected to that position in 1978. His 
rulings and contributions on the bench have been hailed by many for 
their legal acumen, wisdom, and care for children and the families that 
have come before him. He has been a leader, locally and at the State 
level, in promoting juvenile law legislation and in raising public 
awareness of children's issues.
  Prior to his judicial service, Wilmont Sweeney had served as a member 
of the Berkeley City Council--1961 to 1974--and as vice mayor of the 
city--1967 to 1974. To that task he brought his thoughtful 
deliberation, advice, and decisionmaking to a whole range of nettlesome 
issues in a community that was the epitome of diverse interests and 
opinions. He became legendary for his reasonableness and ability to 
help bring persons with opposing points of view to positions of 
agreement, compromise, or accommodation.
  From 1955 to 1974, Wilmont Sweeney was in private practice, handling 
all kinds of legal cases, in Oakland, CA. He first worked with criminal 
law attorney Clinton White as a sole practitioner. He then served as a 
partner with the law firm of Wilson, Metoyer, Sweeney, and Broussard.
  Wilmont Sweeney was born in Austin, TX. He served to sergeant in the 
U.S. Army during World War II from 1944 to 1946 and then in the U.S. 
Army Reserve from 1948 to 1949. He received a B.A. in 1950 from the 
University of California, Berkeley in Political Science and a J.D. In 
1955 from Hastings College, San Francisco, CA. While at Hastings, he 
was the Note and Comment Editor of the Hastings Law Journal from 1954 
to 1955. He was admitted to the California Bar, the U.S. Court of 
Appeals, Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. District Court, Northern District 
of California in 1955, and to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1967.
  Judge Sweeney has served on numerous public service boards, 
commissions, and committees; and, he has been the recipient of many 
awards and recognition for that service. Just a few examples will be 
given here: the Benjamin Ide Wheeler Award as Berkeley's Most 
Outstanding Citizen in 1971; the W. Byron Rumford Humanitarian Medal in 
1987; Certificate of Commendation for outstanding accomplishments on 
behalf of abused and neglected children from the State of California's 
Department of Social Services in 1987; Judge of the Year Award from the 
Alameda County Lawyers Club in 1988; Unsung Hero Award from the Oakland 
Crack Task Force for his outstanding community involvement in drug 
prevention and education in 1990; the State's first Juvenile Court 
Judge of the Year Award by the Juvenile Court Judges of California in 
1992; and, the Chief Probation Officers' Timothy Fitzharris Award in 
recognition of his major contributions to the field of probation 
services.
  On Thursday, June 13, 1996, the Alameda County Bar Association and a 
host of friends will honor Judge Sweeney upon his retirement as judge 
of the superior court and presiding judge of juvenile court. I join in 
thanking Judge Sweeney for all his numerous contributions to the well-
being of our society, and for his selfless efforts that span 35 years 
of elected public service. Additionally, I would note that all of us 
have been very blessed and fortunate to have had such a remarkable 
human being in our midst.

                          ____________________