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LWV League of Women Voters of California
San Luis Obispo County, CA March 5, 2002 Election
Smart Voter Full Biography for Terrence "Terry" O'Farrell

Candidate for
Superior Court Judge; County of San Luis Obispo; Office 4

[photo]
This information is provided by the candidate

Terry, married to wife, Gloria since 1965, has three adult children. His daughter Kimberly is a day care school owner, daughter Laura is a dental assistant, and son Terry is a police officer with a local department.

Terry is a U.S. army veteran including a tour in Viet Nam. He has attended both the Rio Hondo Police Academy and the Los Angeles County Marshal's Academy. He holds a basic and intermediate certificate from the California Commission on Peace Officers Standard of Training (POST).

He has received an A.S. degree in Administration of Justice, a B.S.L. degree and Juris Doctrate degree. He has been a member of the California State Bar since 1974. He has also belonged to the California Trial Lawyer Association, Central Coast Trial Lawyer Association and the San Luis Obispo County Bar Association. He was a member of the board of directors of the San Luis Obispo County Bar Association for four years and served as president in 1990. He was also a delegate to the State Bar convention in 1990 and 1991. He served on the board of directors for the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce and as president in 1986.

After returning from a tour in Viet-Nam, Terry was hired as a Deputy with the Los Angeles County Marshal's Office in 1968. In 1973, he was hired as an Investigator with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. Working full time to support his family and attending law school in the evening, he graduated and passed the bar exam in the summer of 1974. He remained with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office as a Deputy District Attorney. In 1977, he moved his family to San Luis Obispo County after being hired as a Deputy District Attorney for that county.

In his six years as a deputy with the District Attorney's office, he prosecuted every major felony including the prosecution of seven defendants for murder in four separate trials. All were convicted of murder. His conviction rate in those years was over 95%.

In 1977 he entered private practice, trying criminal, civil and family law cases. He has tried four additional murder cases since he entered private practice, including death penalty cases. He has tried hundreds of matters including more than 150 jury trials. His civil experience includes the trial of personal injury, real estate and construction disputes, business and contract disputes, and labor and management disputes.He also has tried hundreds of matters in family and juvenile court involving dissolution of marriage, custody and visitation, support and distribution of assets. In juvenile he has handled both dependency and delinquency matter.

Terry has sat as a judge pro-tem in both the municipal and superior courts. For the last 7 years he has sat as an Administrative Law Judge under contract with the State Office of Administrative Hearings. He presides over trials for the Department of Corrections and Department of Mental Health to determine if inmates can be forcibly medicated as part of their treatment for severe mental illness, in cases where it is alleged that they are a danger to themselves, others or are gravely disabled to the extent that they can not use the necessities of life. Terry is also a commissioner on the County Civil Service Commission hearing grievances and appeals of disciplinary actions against civil serve employees.

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: February 14, 2002 05:25
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