Peter Needham Mering

Judge Mering attended Sacramento High, and UC Berkeley, attaining his LLB at Boalt Hall; he was a lineman for the Bears, and played in the 1951 Rose bowl game. He practiced as a private attorney with his brother Phil, subsequently becoming a Sacramento Deputy DA, followed by 13 years as an Assistant Public Defender. He was appointed Municipal Court Judge by Gov. Gerry Brown in 1977, and became a Superior Court Judge in 1981, remaining on the bench for 22 years; after retirement he was on temporary bench assignments for a further 17 years. Judge Mering took a particular interest in Juvenile Court, reflecting his concern for family values, and the welfare of vulnerable children.

He hails from a prominent Sacramento family known for its lawyers, and its involvement in municipal and charitable causes. Son of Sumner Mering, sometime Sacramento City Councilman, and Helen Mering, a high school teacher and community activist (Director of the Sacramento Children’s Home; spearheaded the creation of Fairytale Town). Judge Mering’s wife of 52 years, Georgia, was a longtime Director of Development for the Sacramento Aids Foundation. He was active in Sacramento Big Brothers, Planned Parenthood Sacramento, the YMCA; president of the California Alumni Association, member of AHEPA, and chaired the Sacramento Cyprus Relief Committee. In a family of Republicans, Judge Mering was a lifelong, pro-choice Democrat. He was, however, known for his respect for all sides of the political spectrum, never letting his political opinions compromise his judicial obligations of fairness, and respect for the law.

In the notorious Gallego serial killers’ trial, Judge Mering made a significant ruling, denying a motion to release co-defendant Charlene Gallego on bail. In a case that typified his concern for the common good and the disadvantaged, his rulings in 1992/3 upheld Sacramento County’s obligation to provide medical care for the poor. His evenhandedness, and insistence “to the best of everyone’s ability, that the jury gets the most accurate information so they can have the chance to do justice and come up with the right decision” (his own words), gained him deep respect throughout the judicial, law-enforcement, and wider Sacramento communities.

Judge Mering is profoundly mourned by his wife Georgia, their children Yolla, Steve, Helen and Andrew; his seven grandchildren, including grandson Christopher Jones and family; four great-grandchildren, nephews David and Sumner Mering, their mother Laura Mering, and their families; Georgia’s brother Andreas Kompsos, and family friend Leith Henry.

“He was a man, take him for all in all,

I shall not look upon his like again.”

(from Shakespeare, ‘Hamlet’)

There will be a Memorial Celebration of Judge Mering’s life and work at The Hellenic Center, 614 Alhambra Blvd. at 6 pm on Thursday January 30th. Friends and acquaintances are welcome to attend.

Those who wish to donate in Peter’s memory may do so to:

FAIRYTALE TOWN

3901 Land Park Dr. Sacramento CA 95822

Tel: (916) 808-5233

https://www.fairytaletown.org/support/donate/

or

THE ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

Tel: (916) 443-2033

616 Alhambra Blvd. Sacramento CA 95816

https://annunciationsac.ccbchurch.com/goto/giving