Hon. Michael Rhoads ’06 Returns to SCU
Rhoads is the Political Science Department’s 2025 Eric Hanson Alumni Speaker Series Keynote Speaker
By Nick Pecora ’25
On February 12, the Political Science Department hosted Hon. Michael Rhoads ’06 for the latest event in the 2025 Eric Hanson Alumni Speaker Series, “The Role of Courts in Safeguarding the Rule of Law.”
In 2022, Judge Rhoads was appointed by fellow SCU Poli Sci alumnus Gov. Gavin Newsom ’89 as a judge on the San Francisco Superior Court. After graduating from SCU with degrees in Political Science, Philosophy, and English in 2006, he spent time working for the offices of the San Diego County District Attorney, California Attorney General, the California Governor, and the Chief Justice of California’s Supreme Court before his appointment to the bench. Judge Rhoads has taught as an adjunct professor at various law schools since 2015, and teaches criminal law courses to fellow judicial officers.
Judge Rhoads’ visit included lunch with twelve Poli Sci majors, during which he generously shared guidance about law school and the legal profession. He also attended Prof. Harrigan’s POLI 1 class as a guest speaker on the judiciary.
About 90 students, faculty, staff, and community members attended the event in the Adobe Lodge, which began with a keynote address. Judge Rhoads emphasized his role as an officer of the judicial branch in upholding the rule of law. This responsibility includes strict adherence to the California Code of Judicial Ethics, which prescribes appropriate conduct for judicial officers. Rhoads noted that these rules help to promote the judicial integrity necessary for the public and other government officials to respect the courts and willingly comply with their orders. In accordance with this code, Judge Rhoads explained why he must take care to avoid discussing controversial topics or politically charged questions. He went on to emphasize that the rule of law means that the law must apply uniformly to everyone, it must be accessible to all, and it must be applied impartially. In addition, he distinguished between the judiciary’s responsibility to uphold the law as enacted, the legislature’s ability to modify it, and the executive’s enforcement powers.
The keynote address was followed by a Q&A session moderated by Prof. Chen using questions collected before and during the event. Judge Rhoads gave students advice on pursuing careers in the legal profession, insight into his day-to-day life on the bench, and how he balances the enormous responsibility of his position with his life outside of work. During Q&A, he affirmed the importance of civic education in helping people understand and access the law. He also discussed important issues that will be decided in California’s courts in the coming year.
The Eric Hanson Alumni Speaker Series is made possible by a generous donation from the family of Professor Eric Hanson, who was a beloved Poli Sci faculty member for 42 years.
