Peter Mering

On Friday December 13th 2019, Judge Peter Needham Mering, beloved husband, and father of four children, passed away aged 89. Mering attended Boalt Hall Law School at Berkeley and after practicing as a private attorney with his brother Phil, became a Sacramento Deputy DA, followed by 13 years as Supervising Assistant Public Defender; he was appointed Municipal Court Judge in 1977, and Superior Court Judge in 1981. Coming from a family known for its lawyers and involvement in charitable causes, he was a son of attorney and councilman Sumner Mering and Helen Mering, who spearheaded the creation of Fairytale Town. His wife of 52 years, Georgia, helped direct the Sacramento Aids Foundation. He was a supporter of Planned Parenthood Sacramento, a member of AHEPA, and chaired the Sacramento Cyprus Relief Committee. He was a lifelong, pro-choice Democrat, but never let his political opinions compromise his judicial obligations of fairness, and respect for the law. In the Gallego serial killers' trial, Mering ruled to deny Charlene Gallego's request for bail. His rulings in 1992/3 upheld Sacramento County's obligation to provide medical care for the poor. His 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 mourned by his wife Georgia, their children Yolla, Steve, Helen and Andrew; his seven grandchildren, including grandson Christopher Jones and his family; four great-grandchildren, nephews David and Sumner Mering, their mother Laura Mering, and their families; brother-in-law 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." ('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 https://www.fairytaletown.org/support/donate/ or THE ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH https://annunciationsac.ccbchurch.com/goto/giving