Lassen County Superior Court Judge Michele Verderosa, left, administers the oath of office to newly elected Lassen Superior Court Judge Tony Mallery as his wife, Tammy, his two sons, Christopher and Zachary and his father, Arlan Mallery, participate. Photos by Sam Williams
More than 100 family members, friends and supporters attended the oath of office ceremony for Lassen Superior Court Judge Tony Mallery.

Jan. 15, 2013 — Tony Mallery, the Susanville attorney who defeated Lassen County District Attorney Bob Burns for the Lassen County Superior Court judge’s seat in the November election, took the oath of office about 4:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8 at the Lassen Hall of Justice on Riverside Drive in Susanville.

More than 100 friends and supporters packed the courtroom past capacity as judge Michele Verderosa administered the oath of office before a standing room crowd.

Mallery was joined during the oath by his wife, Tammy, and his children, Christopher and Zachary. His father, Arlan, held a 130-year-old family Bible upon which Mallery took the oath of office.

Following the ceremony, Mallery asked those in attendance to pause for a moment to remember John Nakanishi, a candidate in the judge’s race who died tragically following a Father’s Day rafting incident on the Truckee River. Nakanishi and Burns were the top two vote getters in the June primary election and were to face each other in the November election. Mallery finished third in the primary and advanced to the November contest following Nakanishi’s death.

After the ceremony, the Mallerys hosted a party for their supporters at the Susanville Elks Lodge.

Mallery addressed those in attendance before the ceremony and shared his judicial philosophy as Verderosa was delayed for about 30 minutes by court business.

“I look forward to working with judge Verderosa,” Mallery said. “I look forward to working with the staff. I look forward to working with this county. I look forward to working with this community to give something we

can all be proud of. There’s no reason why this courthouse can’t be the place we all rejoice about in this community … We are one community. We all live here. We all need to take care of each other, yet at the same time, we all need to know what right from wrong is and compliment those people who do right and the individuals who do wrong, we need to be compassionate with what they’ve done, but if they need stiff punishment, that’s what we’re going to give them as well. Together, as a community, we will make this courthouse and this county something we can all be proud of, and it starts right here with you folks. Thank you.”

Mallery received a long and rousing round of applause after Verderosa administered the oath.

With help from his wife, Mallery donned a robe once worn by Jim Pardee, a former Lassen County judge. Mallery said he was honored the Pardee family had given him the robe.

“I wear it with great pride,” an emotional Mallery said, “and I hope to do great things.”

            Adding a lighter twist to the ceremony, one of his children said Mallery looked like a judge once he put on the robe.