Judge William H. Stephens, 88
Judge William Haynes Stephens, known as Bill, died peacefully on May 17, 2023, at age 88. A trailblazer in many regards, he will be remembered as a man who truly forged his own path through life.
Bill was born in New Orleans on March 2, 1935, to Myrtle Haynes and William Charles Stephens. During World War II, Bill moved to Sacramento, CA where he attended Sacramento High School, graduated at the age of 16 and enrolled at what was then San Jose State College, becoming the first in his family to attend college.
Bill graduated in 1956. Over the next eight years, Bill worked as an accountant and an assistant personnel officer for the California Department of Water Resources.
In 1964, Bill enrolled at Hastings Law School in San Francisco. Bill graduated from Hastings in 1967 and began his law career at the National Labor Relations Board before switching to become a deputy public defender for Contra Costa County.
In 1969, Bill joined the San Rafael law firm of Bagley & Bianchi, and moved to Mill Valley, the city he would reside in for the rest of his life. Bill worked happily for the firm for three years before leaving to start his own private practice in Sausalito.
During his time as an attorney, Bill served as director of the Marin County Bar Association and director and president of the Marin County Legal Aid Society.
He would also hold positions in numerous community-focused organizations in Marin, serving as chairman of the Marin County Human Rights Commission, director of the Family Service Agency of Marin, and director of La Familia of Marin Inc., a community group for low-income, Spanish-speaking residents.
He offered additional legal counsel to the Marin City Community Services District as well as Opportunity Through Ownership, a small business development corporation promoting entrepreneurship among disadvantaged persons.
For over 30 years Bill mentored the youths of the Performing Stars’ enrichment program enhancing their academic performance and professional readiness to overcome social-economic challenges. Beyond these shores, Bill’s mission with Village Baptist Church’s Better African Foundation promoted better life in Nigeria and the Republic of Benin through medical, educational, and cultural initiatives.
In the spring of 1976, Bill entered the election to become a judge in the Marin County Municipal Court. In his own words, he wanted to “restore some of the lost public confidence in judges.” Showing his commitment to serving with impartiality, he rejected public endorsement from other lawyers and set up a blind trust to receive donations toward his campaign. Even with public endorsements including the Marin Independent Journal, Bill narrowly lost the race.
Based on his valiant showing, Gov. Jerry Brown appointed Bill to the Marin Municipal Court in 1979. After serving nine years on the Marin Municipal Court, Bill sought a seat on the Marin Superior Court and won by a landslide victory.
Bill would serve as a judge for 11 more years on the Marin County Superior Court. In his last years, Bill spent much of his time in his Mill Valley home and Southern Marin community that he dearly loved. By friends and family, he will be deeply missed.
Bill is predeceased in death by his father William C. Stephens; his mother Myrtle Jackson; his brothers Robert and Larry Stephens; his son Michael Stephens; and his former partner Andrea Forest. He is survived by his sons Stuart, Patrick, and Haynes Stephens; his granddaughters Sabrina, Britainy, and Madison Stephens.
A memorial service will be held at the Cornerstone Church in Marin City on Sat., July 15, at 11:00 a.m.
