VOTE411 Voter Guide

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After a lifetime of public service, I’m running for Superior Court Judge in Los Angeles County. For 30 years, I have served as a Deputy Public Defender in Riverside County and a Deputy Alternate Public Defender in Los Angeles County, standing beside people from all walks of life, and working daily to ensure fairness in our courts. I've litigated 113 jury trials, more than 2000 preliminary hearings, and represented more than 10,000 indigent clients. These are the kind of people who are 3 to 5 times more likely to be arrested, charged and thrown in jail. I know their world. Earlier, I spent 10 years as a television news reporter and documentary producer in Washington, D.C., Tennessee and Kansas -- and, yes, I even chased tornadoes as a reporter. I was committed to listening carefully, getting the facts right, and explaining complex issues clearly. I also served as a legislative aide for the top-ranking democratic congressman from Indiana, Floyd J. Fithian, in the U.S. House of Representatives on Capitol Hill, learning how laws are made and public institutions can best serve the people. The judicial system has been under attack from the top down, and it is time for an independent judge to sit on the Bench. I am endorsed by 75 judges from across California and east to Wisconsin, and more than 100 local public defenders, prosecutors, members of the private bar, and local Elected Officials who know my work ethic, honesty, and proven judicial temperament. I have made public service the through-line of my career because I believe in a justice system that is grounded in respect for everyone who comes before the court. I will be a fair, independent and unbiased judge who listens to all sides.

The LA County Court system is the largest in the country, with more than 500 judges and 36 courthouses. It serves the county well, but there are challenges. It has moved into the modern era by going paperless. The jury system works. If elected, I will work hard to eliminate the backlog of criminal and civil cases which has left all parties -- plaintiffs, defendants, victims, and the public -- wanting justice and completion. I have worked in, and managed, very large caseloads, so I know how to move cases and matters forward, and yet still ensure that all parties receive due process and their day in court. So many people complain that the judge never heard them out. My promise and number one priority, if elected, is to be a Listening Judge. Everyone will be treated equally, fairly, and with dignity and respect. So that even if a party loses, they will walk out of court knowing the judge heard them out.

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I have served as a Deputy Public Defender in Los Angeles County for 30+ years. I am currently assigned to the Major Cases unit handling the most complex felony litigation special circumstance matters. I also have deep experience in the juvenile services delinquency defense having served as a supervisor at Eastlake Juvenile Court from 2016-2109. I volunteer as a proctor at Teen Court, serve as the Vice Chair to the Delegation of the California Conference of Bar Associations of LACBA, serve on the executive board of the Criminal Justice Section of LACBA, served as a Commissioner and Chair of a Rent Stabilization Commission, and was President of the Public Defenders Association from 2015-2021. I was also appointed as a Judge Pro Temp for the Los Angeles Superior Court since 2018 and have volunteered in traffic and small claims courts. I am a single mother, widow, and daughter of immigrants. I have completed over 100 jury trials, transfer hearings, adjudications and all other types of hearings in the criminal justice system. My experience is not a ticker tape of numbers. My experience represents human beings. Because of this experience treating every person as a human being who deserves the full panoply of constitutional protections, and not merely a number, I am uniquely prepared to handle the intensity of court on a day to day basis. I have a proven track record in high volume situations and have the maturity and temperament to ensure justice is done on an individual basis in every matter. I am the only participant in the criminal justice system who speaks to every person in the system: judge, defendant, victims, families, law enforcement. I have unwavering respect for the process and the integrity to always follow the law.

Los Angeles County Superior Court is very cognizant of its mission to provide adequate access to justice for all individuals coming before it. For underserved communities, however, the digital divide is wide and must be narrowed. Even with forms packets and aid, I have found that people have trouble navigating the website and the services it provides. I would champion continuing expansion of digital equity. Furthermore, it is very important that a litigant who comes before the court does not feel invisible. I take the duty of listening to every side in a dispute very seriously and I have a proven track record of that practice in my work as a temporary judge. The court system needs a judge who can hit the ground running on day one. I am that person.