Honorable Peggy Hora

Judge Peggy Fulton Hora (Ret.) is the President of the Justice Speakers Institute, LLC. She retired from the California Superior Court after serving 21 years. She had a criminal assignment that included presiding over the Drug Treatment Court.

She is a former dean of the B.E. Witkin Judicial College of California and has been on the faculty of the National Judicial College (NJC) for 25 years. She is the recipient of the 2017 V. Robert Payant Award for Teaching Excellence presented by the Faculty Council of the NJC.

Judge Hora was a Senior Judicial Fellow for the National Drug Court Institute and the Global Centre for Drug Treatment Courts.

Judge Hora is an international leader in the solution-focused courts movement and has written comprehensively on justice issues. The appellate court and almost 200 journals and law reviews have cited her work. She was a 2009-2010 Thinker in Residence appointed by the Premier of South Australia to study and make recommendations on the Australian justice system. She was a visiting scholar at the University of Tasmania School of Law.

Her international work includes speaking at conferences worldwide and hands-on training on drug courts and therapeutic jurisprudence in Israel, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Chile, Bermuda, South Africa, Italy, Pakistan, France, Japan, Russia, The Netherlands, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

She is an Honorary President of the International Therapeutic Jurisprudence Society, a worldwide non-profit organization dedicated to advancing legal and interdisciplinary scholarship; identifying and promoting best professional practices; sponsoring conferences, workshops and seminars; and, hosting and participating in print, electronic and social media platforms. A judicial award has been named for her by the Society.

She is a recipient of the Bernard S. Jefferson Judicial Education Award from the California Judges’ Association and winner of the Rose Bird Award from California Women Lawyers. She was honored as Woman of the Year by the California legislature.

  1. Drug court operations
  2. Ethics in problem-solving courts for attorneys and judges
  3. Cultural competence
  4. Driving while impaired by alcohol or other drugs
  5. International approaches to solution-focused courts
  6. Therapeutic jurisprudence
  7. Incentives and sanctions including participants with serious mental illness
  8. Team building
  9. On-site TA, observation, recommendations, team improvement
  10. Small claims and unrepresented litigants
  11. Alcohol and other drugs’ impact on the criminal justice system
  12. Smart on crime (evidence-based approaches)
  13. Women and alcoholism/addiction
  14. Survey of treatment for non-treatment professionals
  15. Mental health courts
  16. Co-Occurring disorders

International:

  • American Psychology-Law Society and European Association of Psychology & Law
  • Auckland Medico-Legal Society, New Zealand 
  • Australian Institute of Criminology 
  • Australian Institute of Judicial Administration 
  • Canadian Association of Provincial Court Judges and the National Judicial Institute 
  • Centro de Estudios de Justicia de Las Americas (Justice Study Centers of the Americas), Diego Portales University and Paz Ciudadana, Presenter, Santiago, Chile 
  • Foundation Helg and Medical College No. 2, (Ulanovsk, Russia) 
  • Glenn M. Weaver Institute of Law and Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati College of Law & The Fetzer Institute International Centre for Healing and the Law 
  • Government of Bermuda, Conference workshop presenter 
  • Griffith University School of Criminology, Brisbane AU 
  • Institute for Advanced Judicial Studies, Neve Ilan, Israel 
  • International Conference on Social Justice Research, 5th Annual Conference, Panel member, Judicial Education International Conference on Social Justice Research 
  • International Network on Therapeutic Jurisprudence at the University of Puerto Rico and Institute on Law, Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Miami School of Law 
  • International Academy of Law and Mental Health International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (UK) 
  • Japanese Judges’/Bar Association & Freedom Treatment Program 
  • John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, Speaker, International Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico 
  • Law Society, New Zealand
  • Middle Eastern/Mediterranean Summer Institute on Drug Use 
  • National Judicial Institute/Institut National de la Magistrate (Canada)
  • Psychology & Law International Conference, State University New York, Stony Brook 
  • “Raad voor de rechtspraak (Council for Court-Jurisdiction, The Hague),” Utrecht, The Netherlands
  • State Department, Cultural Exchange Program (Israel and Chile)
  • State University New York, Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, 18th Annual Conference, Speaker, Southampton, Bermuda
  • University of Western Ontario 


National, State, and Local Programs:

  • Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network (ATTC) Northeast and Southeast 
  • Administrative Office of the Courts (California) 
  • Alameda County Bar Association 
  • American Bar Association 
  • American Judges Association
  • American Judicature Society 
  • American Psychiatric Association 
  • American Society of Addiction Medicine 
  • American University 
  • Arizona Judicial Conference 
  • Arizona Opioid Treatment Coalition 
  • Bureau of Justice Assistance 
  • California Association of Toxicologists 
  • California Department of Alcohol and Drugs 
  • California Judges’ Association 
  • California Municipal Court Judges 
  • California Society of Addiction Medicine 
  • California Office of Traffic Safety 
  • California State University, Hayward, Department of Educational Psychology
  • Center for Judicial Education and Research (CA) 
  • Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) 
  • Chicago Police Department 
  • Claremont Colleges Intercollegiate Women’s Studies 
  • Community Partnership of Southern Arizona 
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 
  • Drug Court Program Office,Department of Justice 
  • East Bay Community Recovery Project 
  • Florida Conference of Circuit Judges 
  • Fordham University School of Law 
  • Georgia Council on Substance Abuse 
  • Institute of Continuing Judicial Education of Georgia 
  • Hawaii Drug Court (Oahu) 
  • John F. Kennedy University Extension 
  • Louisiana Association of Drug Court Professionals 
  • Maryland Family Divisions and Family Services Programs 
  • Maui County (HI) Children’s Justice Grant Task Force and Maui County DHHC Subcommittee on Ice Addiction: "Ice Breakers." 
  • Maui County Drug Court 
  • Miami-Dade County (FL) Juvenile Court 
  • Michigan Association of Drug Court Judges 
  • Michigan Judicial Institute 
  • Michigan Office of Drug Control Policy and Michigan Department of Community Health 
  • Mile High (Denver CO) Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse 
  • Minnesota Judges’ Conference 
  • National Association of Drug Court Professionals 
  • National Association for Court Management 
  • National Association of Women Judges 
  • National Center for State Courts 
  • National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges 
  • National Drug Court Institute 
  • National Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Conference 
  • National GAINS Center 
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) 
  • National Institute of Justice 
  • National Judicial College 
  • National Leadership Institute 
  • National Legal Aid and Defenders’ Association 
  • Neuropsychological Consultants, Inc 
  • New York Association of Drug Treatment Court Professionals 
  • Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
  • Office of National Drug Control Policy 
  • Oregon Judicial Department 
  • Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Pennsylvania Association of Drug Court Professionals, and Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency 
  • Pennsylvania DUI Association Police Executive Research Forum 
  • Physicians’ Leadership on National Drug Policy
  • Pima Co. (AZ) Prosecutors’ Office 
  • San Mateo County Alcohol & Drug Services 
  • Santa Clara University School of Law’s Center for Social Justice and Public Service 
  • Santa Barbara County Probation Department 
  • State Bar of California 
  • State University New York/Buffalo 
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
  • The Rutter Group 
  • Treatment Research Institute, Center for Evidence-based Interventions for Crime and Addiction 
  • University of California, Berkeley, Extension 
  • University of California, Berkeley, Institute for the Study of Social Change
  • University of California, Berkeley, School of Law 
  • University of California, Santa Barbara, Extension 
  • University of California, Santa Cruz, Extension 
  • Utah Substance Abuse & Anti-Violence Coordinating Council 
  • Virginia Association of Drug Court Professionals 
  • Washington District & Municipal Court Judges 
  • Washington Judicial Conference 
  • Washington Administrative Office of the Courts Regional Judicial Training
  • Wayne County Circuit Drug Courts (Detroit MI) 
  • Western Michigan University, Department of Criminal Justice 
  • Williamsburg County (South Carolina) Sheriff's Office 
  • Women Judges’ Fund for Justice

 

  • "Evidence-Based Treatment in Family Court Helps Stem the Opioid Crisis," Spring 2020. "Unified Family Court Connection." University of Baltimore School of Law.
  • Co-editor of the Science Bench Book for Judges. The most comprehensive scientific evidence bench book ever published. Available free on this website as well as the National Judicial College website.
  • Hora, Peggy. "Tough on Crime is not Smart on Crime." Insight 8 (2013): 18-21. Print. View the Article  
  • Co-Author with Brian Chodrow, “DUI/DWI Treatment” chapter in "Handbook of Evidence-Based Substance Abuse Treatment in Criminal Justice Settings", Leukefeld, Carl, et al., Eds., Springer Publications (2011)
  • Hora, Peggy Fulton, "Courting New Solutions Using Problem-Solving Justice: Key Components, Guiding Principles, Strategies, Responses, Models, Approaches, Blueprints and Tool Kits", Chapman Journal of Criminal Justice 2:1 (Spring 2011)  Abstract
  • Through a Glass Gavel: Predicting the Future of Drug Treatment Courts,” September, 2009. "Future Trends in State Courts." National Center for State Courts.  
  • Hora, P. and Schma, W. (2009) Principles of Addiction Medicine, Fourth Edition. Ries, R., et al. (Eds.) Chapter: "Drug Courts and the Treatment of Incarcerated Populations."
  • Co-author with Deborah Chase,The Best Seat in the House: The Court Assignment and Judicial Satisfaction,” 47:2 Family Court Review 209-238 March, 2009. 
  • Vol. 42, No. 3. Spring, 2008: Drug Treatment Courts in the Twenty-first Century: The Evolution of the Revolution in Problem-solving Courts. Georgia Law Review. View Abstract Here:
  • Vol. 1, No. 1. Winter, 2008; Law as Therapy: What Impact Do Drug Courts Have on Judges? An Interview with Judge Peggy Fulton Hora, By Robert V. Wolf.Journal of Court Innovation. 
  • Transforming Legal Processes in Court and Beyond: “The Synergy Between Therapeutic Jurisprudence and Drug Treatment Courts,” Greg Reinhardt & Dr. Andrew Cannon, Eds., The Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration Incorporated (2007).
  • Substance Use and Misuse: “The Female Drug User: Risk Factors and Prejudices,” Informa Healthcare; 42:2-3 (2007).  Journal of Maintenance in the Addictions Trading One Drug for AnotherVolume 2, Issue 4 October 2005 , pages 71 - 76 
  • Journal of Maintenance in the Addictions: "Trading One Drug for Another? What Drug Treatment Court Professionals Need to Learn About Opioid Replacement Therapy." Hon. Peggy Fulton Hora. Volume 2, Number 4 (2004).
  • Contemporary Issues in Law:"Judicial Satisfaction When Judging in a Therapeutic Key." Hon. PeggyFulton Hora. and Deborah J. Chase, J.D., Ph.D, Volume 7, Issue I (2003/2004).
  • Principles of Addiction Medicine,Third Edition.    Chapter 11, "Special Issues in Treatment:Drug Courts." H. Blair Carlson, M.D., FACP, FASAM;  Hon. Peggy FultonHora; and Hon. William G. Schma. Edited by Graham, Schultz, Mayo-Smith, Ries,and Wilford. American Society of Addiction Medicine. (2003)
  • Substance Use & Misuse. "A Dozen Years of Drug Treatment Courts: Uncovering Our Theoretical Foundation and the Construction of a Mainstream Paradigm." Hon. Peggy Fulton Hora. 37, N(12 & 13) 1469–1488, 2002. PDF
  • Drug Courts: Current Issues &Future Perspectives. "A Dozen Years of Drug Treatment Courts:Uncovering our Theoretical Foundation and the Construction of a MainstreamParadigm." Hon. Peggy Fulton Hora. (2002)
  • Court Review:"TheImplications of Therapeutic Jurisprudence for Judicial Satisfaction." Hon.Peggy Fulton Hora. and Deborah J. Chase. Volume 37, Issue 1. (Spring,2000) 
  • Notre Dame Law Review"Therapeutic Jurisprudence and the DrugTreatment Court Movement: Revolutionizing the Criminal Justice System's Responseto Drug Abuse and Crime in America." Hon. Peggy Fulton Hora., Hon.William G. Schma, John T.A. Rosenthal. Rosenthal.  Volume 74, Number 2. (Copyright 1999; Notre Dame Law Review.)
  • Judicature:"Therapeutic Jurisprudence."  Hon. Peggy Fulton Hora. andWilliam G. Schma.  Volume 82, Number 1. (July/August 1998)
  • Addiction Intervention:"Strategies to Motivate Treatment Seeking Behavior; Legal Strategy." Edited by Robert K. White, MA, CEAP, Deborah George Write, MA. Chapter 8. Hon. Peggy Fulton Hora and William G. Schma. The Hawthorne Press, Inc. (Copyright 1998) 
  • The Judges' Journal: "JudicialConsiderations in Sentencing Pregnant Substance Users." Hon. PeggyFulton Hora and Barrie Becker. Volume 35, Number 2. (Spring, 1996) 
  • Judicial Considerations WhenSentencing Pregnant Substance Users: The National Association of WomenJudges. Barrie Becker, J.D. Hon. Peggy Fulton Hora, Project Chair and Editor. (1996)
  • Southern California Review of Law and Women's Studies: "The Legal Community's Response to Drug Use During Pregnancy in the Criminal Sentencing and Dependency Contexts:  A Survey of Judges, Prosecuting Attorneys in Ten California Counties."Hon. Peggy Fulton Hora and Barrie Becker.  Volume 2, Number 2. (Spring, 1993) Santa Clara LawReview: Book Review--"Judging Judges."Hon. Peggy Fulton Hora. Volume 22, Number 2. (Spring, 1982)
  • 2017    The International Society for Therapeutic Jurisprudence (ISTJ) established the Peggy Hora/Michael Jones judicial award, honoring Judge Hora and Judge Jones for their outstanding work for Therapeutic Jurisprudence.
  • 2017 V. Robert Payant Award for Teaching Excellence by the National Judicial College
  • 2009 Chosen as a Thinker in Residence for therapeutic jurisprudence and restorative justice in Adelaide, South Australia.  Judge Hora spent three months developing recommendations for the government.
  • 2009 Rose Bird Award, outstanding woman jurist, California Women Lawyers
  • 2008 Inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame, Alameda County
  • 2005 Judicial Leadership and Service Award, Alameda County Probation Department
  • 2004 Recipient of the Bernard S. Jefferson Judicial Education Award from the California Judges’ Association
  • 2001  National Association of Drug Court Professionals, Outstanding Leadership Award
  • 1999   Woman of the Year, State of California Legislature
  • 1996   Distinguished Alumni, Community College League of California
  • 1994   Outstanding Alumna Awards, Political Science Department, California State University, Hayward
  • 1994   Community Service Award, Delta Kappa Gamma, Alpha Omega Chapter
  • 1990    Associated Students of Chabot College endowment of the Judge Peggy HoraScholarship
  • 1989    Alumnus of the Year, California State University, Hayward
  • 1988    Woman Helping Women Award, Soroptimist International of San Leandro
  • 1986    The World Who's Who of Women
  • 1986    Outstanding Bay Area Business Woman, American Business Women's Association
  • 1985    Who's Who in California
  • 1985    Woman of Achievement, Emeryville Business & Professional Women's Club
  • 1984    Recipient, Reed L. Buffington, Outstanding Alumnus Award, Chabot College
  • 1984    Woman of the Year, San Leandro Business & Professional Women's Club
  • 1982    Legal Services National Client's Council, Valuable Service Award
  • 1981    Outstanding Young Woman of America
  • 1978    Woman Helping Women Award, Soroptimist International of San Leandro
  • 1975    Finalist, Danforth Fellowship national competition
  • 1975    Outstanding Woman Graduate, Women's Studies Committee, California State University, Hayward
  • 1972    Language Arts Scholarship, Chabot College Faculty
  • 1972   Gladiator of the Year, Chabot College Faculty

Learn More

Peggy Hora
Judge (Ret.)

Judge Peggy Fulton Hora (Ret.) has been instrumental in building the problem-solving courts movement. Her work in this area has contributed to the creation of a new genre of justice—therapeutic jurisprudence— real help and healing all over the world.

Judge Peggy Hora: A Problem-Solving Judge

Radio Interview
Neil Mitchell on the 3AW Morning Show interviews Judge Peggy Hora (Ret.)  Listen below.

Radio Interview
In this episode Jon Faine speaks with Judge Peggy Hora (Ret.) about the need for Drug Courts in Australia. Listen to episode below.

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Judge Hora (Ret.) making a difference.

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