Contra Costa County, CA.
Valery R. Polyakov, a Fulbright Scholar and Deputy District Attorney whose career spans both science and the law, has announced his candidacy for Judge of the Superior Court of Contra Costa County. His campaign rests on three principles he repeats often: "competence, compassion, and integrity."
Polyakov's Fulbright recognition, one of the most competitive academic awards anywhere, sits among a cluster of credentials that set him apart from the typical courtroom prosecutor. He holds a Ph.D. in chemistry, has authored roughly 40 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and is named on 25 issued patents or published patent applications.
He currently manages a high-volume criminal courtroom, handles jury trials, and makes daily decisions that affect public safety and the administration of justice. He says he is running to "serve the community with integrity, fairness, and respect for the rule of law." His central pitch is straightforward. Every person who enters a courtroom should be heard, treated with dignity, and judged impartially based on the facts and the law.
A Record of Service to the Community
Polyakov's volunteer record is one of the most consistent of any candidate in recent Contra Costa judicial races. The Volunteer Legal Services Corporation of the Alameda County Bar Association named him an Outstanding Volunteer in six separate years between 2017 and 2023. The Justice & Diversity Center of the Bar Association of San Francisco recognized him with the same honor every year from 2017 through 2021.
These are awards given for sustained, hands-on legal aid work, much of it serving people who cannot afford an attorney. He has also served as a volunteer settlement officer, helping resolve disputes outside the courtroom and freeing court resources for cases that require trial.
Beyond traditional pro bono work, Polyakov has launched a public video series explaining the judicial system to voters, citing his belief that "voters benefit from having clear and accessible information about the law and the judicial system." It is an unusual move for a judicial candidate and reflects a broader commitment to making the courts more transparent to the public.
A Wide-Ranging Legal Résumé
Polyakov's professional background spans several corners of the legal system that rarely appear on a single résumé. In addition to his current work as a Deputy District Attorney, his career includes civil litigation, family law, and housing matters.
That breadth, his campaign argues, prepares him for the variety of cases that come before a Superior Court judge. The docket can shift from criminal arraignments to housing disputes to family matters within a single week.
"Having worked as a prosecutor, civil litigator, and neutral, he understands the importance of fairness, impartiality, and treating every person with dignity," his campaign biography states.
From the Lab to the Courtroom
Before law school, Polyakov was a research scientist. He earned his Ph.D. and a master's degree (summa cum laude) in chemistry from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and his Fulbright recognition came out of that academic work. He later earned his Juris Doctor at Northwestern California University School of Law.
According to his campaign, that scientific training carries over into how he approaches the law, with an emphasis on weighing evidence carefully and reasoning from facts to conclusions.
Judicial Philosophy
Polyakov's stated judicial philosophy rests on four ideas. He says rulings should be based strictly on facts and law, free from bias or prejudice. He says the law should be interpreted as written by the legislature, not rewritten from the bench. He says the rights of the accused must be balanced against the protection of victims and the safety of neighborhoods. And he says the courts themselves should be accessible, efficient, and transparent enough that justice is not delayed or denied to anyone.
His campaign materials avoid taking positions on specific contested legal questions, a posture consistent with judicial canons that discourage candidates from prejudging issues likely to come before them.
What Comes Next
Superior Court judicial races in California are nonpartisan and often low-profile, decided by voters who may know little about the candidates beyond a name on the ballot. Polyakov's campaign appears designed to address that information gap directly, with a public website, the voter education video series, and an active call for volunteers and community supporters.
For now, his message to the electorate is the one printed across the top of his campaign site: experienced, fair, and ready to serve.
This article is based on information published on the candidate's official campaign website, polyakov4judge.com.
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