Eugene Michael Hyman


Eugene Michael Hyman is an American retired judge, lawyer, and former police officer.
Hyman served on the Superior Court of Santa Clara County for almost 20 years, and is a legal analyst. He helped create and serves in the field of therapeutic jurisprudence, a philosophy and system that advocates treatment for particular categories of offenders, such as domestic violence, which is his specialty. Hyman has presided over cases in the criminal, family, probate, civil, and delinquency divisions of the court. He is an opponent of the three-strikes law and considered an "international expert on preventing juvenile, family, and domestic violence". Hyman was elected and took his oath of office on January 8, 1997. Hyman retired from the bench and was replaced by Shelyna V. Brown.
Hyman is the first American to receive the United Nations Public Service Award. Hyman presided over the first family/juvenile violence court in the United States to focus exclusively on teenage victims and perpetrators.

Early life, education and career

He graduated from Claremont Men's College with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology in 1972 and received his Juris Doctor law degree from the Santa Clara University School of Law in 1977.
From 1972 to 1977, he served as a police officer with the Santa Clara Police Department and from 1979 to 1981 he was an Instructor at the Santa Clara County Peace Officer's Academy.

Legal career

He was in private practice from 1979 to 1990 concentrating on personal injury litigation, workers' compensation law, and criminal law.

Judicial career

1990 to present

In 1990, Hyman was appointed to the Santa Clara County Municipal Court. He has appeared as a legal panelist to governmental, judicial, and other forums concerning domestic violence in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and other countries. While in Canberra, Australia during May 2008, Hyman gave a PowerPoint presentation at Australia's Victim Support Act conference. He has published numerous articles on domestic violence. One of his specialties is in the area of domestic violence cases that also include substance abuse and/or mental health. He also specializes in offenses involving sexual abuse, stalking, strangulation, and other unique circumstances that may co-occur with domestic violence. Hyman is a proponent of Australia's Three Strikes law.
In 1999, Eugene M. Hyman was chosen to preside over the first juvenile domestic violence and family violence court in the United States. The court hears only cases "solely with teenage batterers and their victim."
During February 2010, while making a ruling on the bench, Hyman made a comment regarding a boycott of Judge Andrea Bryan. "I look to my colleague, who is now a subject of much public debate and in some quarters ridicule, and wonder whether or not I would have the courage to do what I thought was right." In this case involving a murder suspect, Hyman found the individual factually innocent.
Hyman retired in 2011 and was replaced by Shelyna V. Brown.

Television analyst

Hyman has appeared on television and radio shows as a legal analyst. In 2009, he analyzed the potential domestic violence case concerning Chris Brown and Rihanna. During December 2009, Hyman stated "A large percentage of cases that are investigated are never filed with a court; Such a scenario is particularly likely given the family's celebrity status" inre Charlie Sheen's domestic problems.
In 2010, Hyman was interviewed concerning the death of Allison Myrick and commented on how the legal system fails abusive relationships.

Legal conferences participation

In 2003, Hyman was a panelist on domestic violence the 30th annual Western Society of Criminology in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
During May 2010, Hyman was on the "Developing Therapeutic Judging Panel" representing problem-focused domestic violence courts in East Melbourne, Victoria.

Academic relationship

Hyman is also a lecturer at the Santa Clara University School of Law, where he has taught a Domestic Violence Law Seminar. He has over 20 years of experience as a law instructor.
In 1994, he served as a member of part-time Faculty at the Santa Clara University College of Arts & Sciences teaching Senior Seminar Law and Social Welfare.
In January 2005, as a Visiting Professor in Law, he taught Domestic Violence Law at the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law in Canada.
Since January 3, 2019, he has served as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Canberra School of Law and serves as the Director of Professional Outreach at the school.

Awards