Long-time Judge James Ruggiero has announced he's retiring from the Shasta county Superior Court.
He was first appointed to the Municipal Court by then Governor Pete Wilson, and then to the Superior Court in 1996.
Judge Ruggiero created the award-winning "Addicted Offender Program", which has graduated scores of people who were able to overcome drug addiction.
Before he was appointed to the bench, Ruggerio served Shasta County as a Deputy District Attorney and Assistant District Attorney.
He plans to step down at the end of this year.
