Cosgrove trades robes for retirement

Editor's Note: This is the third in a series of stories profiling four Placer County Superior Court judges retiring after 20 or more years on the bench. The first two stories were published Dec. 22 and Dec. 26.He worked his way from the Placer County District Attorney's Office to the bench and after 22 years presiding in Placer County Superior Court, Judge John Cosgrove is retiring.Cosgrove is one of four Placer County judge's who will be retiring at the end of the year. The San Francisco native and 49er football fan worked for the Placer County District Attorney's office for eight years in various positions and rose to the rank of Supervising District Attorney before running for municipal court judge in 1982.Seven candidates, including retiring Placer County Judge James Garbolino, ran for the single opening. Cosgrove credits his wife of 30 years, Jane, for aiding in his victory."She was the dynamic force behind the campaign," Cosgrove said, recounting one harried campaign day. "We had five events in one day. I went to two, Jane went to two and we met up at the fifth. We managed to miss dinner at each and every one."After more than a decade in municipal court, Cosgrove was appointed by the governor to Placer County Superior Court in 1998.His colleagues said they would miss working with one of the most affable judges in court."He is the quintessential nice person," said fellow judge Alan Pineschi. "He's very agreeable and doesn't cause stress or disagreement in the courtroom."His longtime clerk agrees."For 13 years I've been his day wife," said court clerk Kelli Borg. "He will be missed."The 59-year-old retiring judge met his wife while he was stationed with the Army in Pennsylvania. "She worked at the candy counter at the J.C. Penney store," he said.Cosgrove completed his education at Harvard Law school and in a period of three months graduated, took the Bar Exam and got married."I wasn't a lawyer yet, but (then Placer County) District Attorney Dan Higgins hired me," Cosgrove said. "Soon after I started I was notified I passed the Bar."The father of three adult children enjoys cooking - the gourmet kind - and relaxing with his family on their houseboat at Lake Shasta.He said he hopes to be able to take some time to travel once his court calendar clears up a bit and has planned a Panama cruise with Jane.The Journal's Penne Usher can be reached at penneu@goldcountrymedia.com.