SJCBA News

October is Filipino American History Month, commemorating the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States which occurred on October 18, 1587 when “Luzones Indios” came ashore from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza and landed at what is now Morro Bay, California; the month celebrates and brings awareness to the significant role Filipinos have played in American history. October is also LGBT History Month in recognition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history and the history of the gay-rights movement, National Disability Employment Awareness Month which draws attention to employment barriers for the disabled, Polish American Heritage Month commemorating the first Polish settlers and celebrating the history and culture of the Polish community in America, and Global Diversity Awareness Month to bring awareness to the diversity of cultures and the positive impact diversity can have on society...

The San Joaquin County Bar Association (SJCBA) is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded the prestigious Exceptional Organization of the Year Award by the California Lawyers Association (CLA). The award was presented during the annual California Lawyers Association (CLA) and California Judges Association (CJA) Presidents Gala in San Diego on Saturday, September 23, 2023.

September marks the start of Hispanic Heritage Month which is observed from September 15 to October 15 and corresponds with Mexican Independence Day which is celebrated on September 16 and recognizes the revolution in 1810 that ended Spanish dictatorship in Mexico.  The second week in September is National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week, a weeklong celebration of the vital role HBCUs play in molding Black leaders, encouraging high-school aged youth to enroll into HBCUs, providing scholarship dollars for matriculation, and sustaining a pipeline for employment from undergraduate to corporate America.

August 1 is Lughnasadh, a Gaelic festival marking the beginning of the harvest season; Lammas, a festival to mark the annual wheat harvest within some English-speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere; and Fast in Honor of Holy Mother of Jesus, beginning the fourteen-day period of preparation for Orthodox Christians leading up to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. August 6 is Transfiguration of the Lord (Feast of the Transfiguration); celebrated by various Christian denominations, the feast day is dedicated to the transfiguration of Jesus. August 13 to 15 is Obon (Ullambana), a Buddhist festival and Japanese custom that honors the spirits of ancestors...

July 1 is  Canada Day or Fête du Canada, a Canadian federal holiday that celebrates the 1867 enactment of the Constitution Act which established the three former British colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick as a united nation called Canada. July 3 is Asalha Puja or Dharma Day, a celebration of Buddha’s first teachings. July 4 is Independence Day or the Fourth of July, a U.S. federal holiday...

I am a millennial family law attorney. I married late in life, and I have a lot of friends who are either taking their time getting to the altar or opting out of marriage altogether. I hear it often: the community property laws are oppressive, divorce is expensive, prenups aren’t romantic, and why does my love need a label? Conventional wisdom says that you are saving yourself stress, money, and potentially an emotional court case by opting out of marriage. We’ll just stay together as long as it feels right and then, if it ends, we will peacefully go our separate ways.

Right?? Well…. Maybe.

June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month, established to recognize the impact that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals have had on the world. LGBTQ+ groups acknowledge the month with Pride parades, memorials for those lost to hate crimes and HIV/AIDS, and other group gatherings. The last Sunday in June is LGBTQ+ Pride Day. June is also Immigrant Heritage Month, which celebrates immigrants across the United States and their contributions to their local communities and economy and gives all Americans an opportunity to explore their heritages and celebrate the shared diversity that forms the unique story of the United States; and Caribbean American Heritage Month, which was established in June 2006 to honor and celebrate the rich and diverse culture of the Caribbean American population.

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869; the majority of the workers who laid the tracks on the project were Chinese immigrants. May is also Older Americans Month, established in 1963 to honor the legacies and contributions of older Americans and to support them as they enter their next stage of life; Jewish American Heritage Month, which recognizes the diverse contributions of the Jewish people to American culture; and Mental Health Awareness Month or Mental Health Month, which aims to raise awareness and educate the public about mental illnesses and reduce the stigma that surrounds mental illnesses.  

April is Celebrate Diversity Month, recognizing and honoring the diversity surrounding us all; Autism Acceptance Month, raising awareness about and acceptance of the developmental disability that impacts an individual’s experience of the world around them; and National Arab American Heritage Month, celebrating the Arab American heritage and culture and paying tribute to the contributions of Arab Americans and Arabic-speaking Americans.

March is Women’s History Month; established in 1987, Women’s History Month recognizes all women for their valuable contributions to history and society. March is also National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month established to increase awareness and understanding of issues affecting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month established to raise public awareness of the autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, and National Irish American Heritage Month celebrating the Irish American heritage and culture and paying tribute to the contributions of Irish immigrants and their descendants living in the United States. March 13 to April 15 is Deaf History Month; this observance celebrates key events in deaf history including the founding of Gallaudet University and the American School for the Deaf.