Former professional baseball player Mark Anthony Davis never wanted to be a lawyer. After graduating from Stanford University in 1986 with an Economics degree, he signed as a baseball player with the big leagues in 1991 for exactly eight days.
He spent the next few years getting back to the game in Mexico before retiring in 1994.
According to Davis, it was then that some successful friends from college encouraged him to do more with his life. They were Black men he knew, love and respected, he says. Up until that point, Davis had spent his adult life in the cocoon of baseball.
Davis says he enjoyed writing, and English was one of his favorite subjects. He thought law would be “kind of cool” and said to himself, “Let me go to law school.”
In law school, Davis discovered he had a passion for criminal law. He became a defense attorney and was referred cases from immigration lawyers to help immigrants stay in the United States with their families.
Davis’ wife of almost 28 years, Eva, came up with a marketing strategy for his practice using the first three letters of Davis’ name, M-A-D. They used clever plays on the acronym like, “Get MAD… Get Justice.”
Davis also served on a criminal defense panel in Riverside County that focused on trials involving murders, gangs, and other serious crimes.
Then, just a few months ago while watching his daughter throw shotput at a track meet, Davis found out Gavin Newsom wanted to appoint him to the Los Angeles Superior Court.
Davis has now been in the judicial system for just two months. He was sworn in on May 24 and says enjoys being on the bench.
“I like being on the bench because the degree of deference judges receive is ridiculous,” said Davis. “Sometimes I feel as if people are mocking me because they are so respectful.”
Davis tells the story of the time he was caught stealing and how it taught him about second chances. He was 11-years-old, and the storekeeper caught him but gave him a second chance.
According to Davis the storekeeper said, “I see what you tried to do, put the stuff back and go home. If you try it again, you’re not riding home on your bike, you’ll be riding home in a police car.”
Davis says at the time, his father was an ex-Marine, a police officer, and the director of security for Grossmont College. His father also previously explained to the family the challenges of being a Black man and one of the few minorities on the force. Punishment for something like stealing would be severe for Davis.
“My dad didn’t play,” said Davis. “And that was back when they could still whoop your [expletive]. Someone gave me an opportunity and it saved me from my father.”
From that experience, Davis says he learned the importance of second chances. “As a judge, I’m sworn to follow the law however, my personal view is I think people are worthy of second opportunities,” he said.
“But I’m also big on responsibility and if you fail on your responsibility, you need to have consequences,” Davis concluded.
Back when Judge Davis was practicing law, he says it was rare to even see a Black judge in the building. “If I saw one,” he said, “I was like, oh wow, we got a brother or sister up here!”
When seeing faces that looked like his, Judge Davis felt his voice would be heard. “Some judges refused to even acknowledge you,” he said. “I felt like an outsider, even in Los Angeles County.”
Davis says he hopes the way he welcomes lawyers and defendants into the courtroom will help them feel recognized, acknowledged, and heard. “When you walk into my courtroom, you’re going to get a fair shake,” he said.
“Some courtrooms you walk into, the judge doesn’t like the Black lawyer and he doesn’t like the Black or brown client.”
Now a judge on the Los Angeles Superior Court, Davis says he wants to ensure that everyone, no matter the color of their skin, gets a fair day in court.
“They’re going to get an opportunity to get heard,” he said. “And if they’re in that grey area of discretion, and to the degree that I’m comfortable, I will use that discretion in my courtroom.”
