Funeral scheduled Saturday for popular presiding judge

The funeral for Kathleen Akao, the presiding judge of Santa Cruz County Superior Court, will be held at 11 a. m. on Saturday at the Cabrillo College Theater, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos.

Akao’s unexpected death Sunday at age 57 shocked the county’s tightly knit legal community and many county residents. Friends and admirers of the popular judge continued to file into her courtroom on Tuesday, leaving flowers, pictures and poignant notes.

Roy Blaine, a spokesman for the court, said Judge Akao’s Department 5 courtroom will remain open for the public to pay their respects today and Thursday from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. at the courthouse at Ocean and Water streets in Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz Memorial is handling arrangements for the funeral, which will be open to the public.

The cause of her death was still not released as of late Tuesday. Friends and family say she had been admitted to Santa Cruz’s Dominican Hospital after coming down with a bad case of bronchitis.

Akao, a graduate of San Jose State and Santa Clara University School of Law, was also the first woman and the first Asian- American to become a Superior Court judge in Santa Cruz County. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to appoint a successor.

— Ken McLaughlin