My courtroom experience has given me a unique understanding of the judicial system, shaped by my work in various roles throughout my career.These roles taught me the value of preparation, credibility, professionalism, and the impact judicial decisions have on those who appear before the court. These experiences influence my approach to managing a courtroom. Everyone who appears before the court deserves dignity and respect, whether represented or not. The most effective courtrooms are built on preparation, consistency, and accountability. Attorneys and litigants should clearly understand what is expected of them and what they can expect from the court. Clear procedures, timely rulings, and professionalism foster faith in the process.

A judge cannot serve as an advocate for either side, but a judge has an important responsibility to safeguard the constitutional rights of every person who appears before the court. One of the most important ways to do that is to ensure that attorneys have a meaningful opportunity to prepare their cases. Judges should be attentive to legitimate concerns regarding workload, discovery issues, and access to necessary resources. When appropriate, courts can grant reasonable continuances, monitor case progression carefully, and ensure that counsel has sufficient time to provide effective representation. Having served as a public defender myself, I understand the challenges that come with heavy caseloads.

Judicial independence requires judges to remain faithful to the rule of law, not public pressure, politics, media attention, or personal opinion. Decisions must be based on the facts, applicable law, and binding precedent, even when a case is unpopular or emotionally charged. Justice cannot depend on who is standing before the court. The law must be applied equally to all. At the same time, judges should recognize that their decisions affect real people and families. While the law must guide every outcome, every person deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. Public trust is maintained through impartiality, integrity, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law.

My vision for the future of our judicial system is one that is accessible, efficient, transparent, and worthy of the public’s trust. Courts often serve people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives, and they deserve a system that is fair, understandable, and responsive. As our communities grow, courts must balance increasing caseloads with meaningful access to justice. I support active case management, timely rulings, streamlined procedures, and the thoughtful use of technology, including virtual hearings and electronic systems, to reduce unnecessary delays. I also believe courts should improve public understanding of the legal process and continue supporting problem-solving courts, such as treatment and veterans courts.

The most effective courts balance efficiency and fairness. It combines strong case management, clear expectations, efficient use of resources, and respect for the time of litigants, attorneys, witnesses, and court staff. I have seen that early case management conferences, adherence to scheduling orders, prompt resolution of discovery disputes, and consistent communication can significantly reduce delays. I have also seen the value of encouraging meaningful settlement discussions when appropriate. Courts can further improve efficiency through thoughtful use of technology, including virtual hearings for routine, non-evidentiary matters. I also believe courts should trust and respect the work attorneys do to resolve disputes.

As the current circuit judge my courtroom management entails proactive scheduling of cases, stringent enforcement of procedural decorum, and early resolution of issues. The judicial assistant and I employ these strategies to minimize delays, ensure procedural fairness for all litigants, and ensure a secure and streamlined environment for all participants. Drawing on my experience as a lawyer in numerous courtrooms, I have learned that preparation is key to a smooth and effective court process, and I adhere to this same rigorous standard as a judge by thoroughly examining the docket and motions before each hearing.

As a circuit judge, at times I can review financial circumstances to ascertain that the public defender's office is serving individuals who are truly unable to afford legal counsel. While I do not dictate or micromanage trial strategy, I will intervene if an attorney demonstrably fails to meet basic obligations or is hindered by a severe conflict of interest. In cases where mental competency is questioned, I order evaluations to ensure they can assist their attorney in their defense. The appointment of conflict counsel is also crucial, not to reduce the public defenders' workload but to ensure that defendants receive ethical and effective representation. This roadmap maintains the quality of representation despite heavy caseloads.

Strict adherence to Judicial Cannons and ethical rules is obligatory for judges, and violations to those rules should be met with swift and deliberate disciplinary action. Decisional autonomy does not mean unchecked freedom; The judiciary regulates its own conduct to ensure individual judges exercise their independence judiciously. Bias can arise from exposure to external information. Judges should proactively shield themselves from external influences by strictly controlling the data that informs their decisions.

Enhance the judiciary's dedication to a diverse workforce by broadening recruitment initiatives, educational programs, and training opportunities for diversity. The judiciary can only meet future workload demands by continuing to attract and retain highly skilled competent judges and staff. Ensure court proceedings are conducted in facilities that are safe, accessible, efficient, and properly equipped. Utilizing judges more effectively to alleviate congested and overburdened courts. I would advocate for more diversity in the languages that are offered for interpretation services at the courthouse as the ninth circuit embodies many different cultures and vernaculars.

Efficient management of high-volume dockets are achieved by adopting an active role as case managers, dictating the pace of litigation rather than passively observing. This is done by leveraging the office of the clerk who deal with pro se litigants, setting old cases for case management conferences or dismissing them for lack of prosecution, adding ticklers alerts in our court software to ensure orders are done and cases are moving along. Judicial assistants also contribute by maintaining an organized framework, fostering communication with attorneys and the public, having regular meetings with the assigned judge to monitor progress and conducting monthly case management reviews for those who fail to meet order submission deadlines.