Martin J. Jenkins

Federal District Court Judge and Trustee

Spring 1971 Graduate

        While at Lincoln, Marty combined athletic prowess with academic achievement, Following Lincoln, he attended the University of Santa Clara, receiving his B.A. in History in 1977. While at Santa Clara, Marty was a starter on the varsity football team and the tennis team. In 1976, UPI named him to its Small College All Coast Team and to the NCAA Division II All American Football Team. After Santa Clara, Marty played for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He returned to Lincoln as an assistant football coach while he attended the University of San Francisco School of Law, earning his Juris Doctor in 1980. At USF, Marty was Vice President of the Black Law Students Association and Chair of the Special Admissions Recruitment Program. At graduation he received the Judge Harold J. Haley award, presented by the faculty to a graduate for exceptional distinction in scholarship, character and activities.

        Following law school, Marty became a deputy district attorney for Alameda County until 1983 when he was appointed counsel to the United States Attorney General's Task Force on Family Violence. He later becoming a trial attorney for the United States Department of Justice, where he served until 1985 when he joined the legal department of Pacific Bell. In 1989, he was appointed Judge of the Oakland-Piedmont-Emeryville Municipal Court. In 1992, he was appointed Judge of the Alameda Superior Court. In 1994, he served as Justice Pro Tem of the California Court of Appeals. Reflecting his long commitment to solving family violence issues, Marty currently presides over Alameda County's Juvenile Court.

        Marty has been a member of the Board of Regents of the University of Santa Clara since 1989 and a member of the Board of Counselors of the University of San Francisco School of Law since 1992. Marty is currently on the teaching faculties of the American Judicature Society (since 1990), the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (since 1991) and the California Judges Association (since 1992).

        In recognition of his many accomplishments, Marty was inducted into the Abraham Lincoln High School Wall of Fame in May 1996.