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LWV League of Women Voters of California Education Fund

Smart Voter
Los Angeles County, CA March 2, 2004 Election
Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues
Superior Court Judge; County of Los Angeles; Office 18


The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles County, an Inter-League Organization (ILO). and asked of all candidates for this office.

See below for questions on Reason for Running, Personal Qualities

Click on a name for other candidate information.   See also more information about this contest.


1. Why are you running for Superior Court Judge?

Answer from Daniel Feldstern:

As a Deputy District Attorney for the past 18 years, I recognize the importance of a strong, competent judiciary that is accountable to the public. I bring to my judicial candidacy a thorough knowledge of the law, extensive courtroom trial experience and a strong work ethic. I care deeply about the integrity of the judicial process and the plight of crime victims. If elected, I will serve the public by rendering common sense decisions that reflect the rule of law and fundamental fairness.

Answer from Miguel Angel Dager:

I have dedicated my entire legal career to civil service. I desire to work to improve the justice system, and thus society as a whole. As the son of immigrants of modest means, I want to insure that all people are provided fair and equal access to the justice system and protection from crime and victimization.

Answer from Mildred Escobedo:

When I practiced law, it was worker's compensation, personal injury, criminal, family law, and discrimination cases. My clients were ethnically and economically diverse, all socioeconomic backgrounds. I chose to devote a significant portion of my practice to serving the poor communities of Los Angeles.

In 1998 I became a Referee of the Los Angeles Superior Court. As a Referee I run my own court and do Judge work. I closed my practice in 2003 and sit permanently as a Referee. I have been doing Judge work now over 5 years and have sat in my own court for over two years. I am very qualified to be judge because I have now done the work for over 5 years. I have EXPERIENCE running a Courtroom. I bring the experiences of different fields of law that I know.

Another very important reason for entering this race is that the majority of people that appear before the court where I work are Latino. I am Mexican American, a product of this community. I am the 5th child of seven and the youngest of four women in the family. My parents were immigrants from Yucatan, Mexico. My parents arrived with three children, speaking only Spanish and Maya. I have experienced exclusion, lack of representation and inequality. My experiences and background is representative of the people who have not had access to the same arena as the majority have; women, people of color, monolingual speakers, each group has struggled for representation, equality and access to arenas such as the law, education, politics. I am now in a position that can incorporate experiences and have a positive effect on the persons previously mentioned and more. I firmly believe that people's lives can be touched, affected, and even changed through communication, conversation and or interaction with a Judge. I have personally seen it occur and believe it. The main reason I want to be a judge is to help and encourage that change of life for the good of the people before the court, their family, and our community. This is why I want to be a judge and ask for your vote. Please vote for Mildred Escobedo in seat number 18.


2. What are the personal qualities which best equip you to serve as a judge?

Answer from Mildred Escobedo:

The same statement above answers this question. My practice consisted of worker's compensation, personal injury, criminal, family law, and discrimination cases. . My clients were ethnically and economically diverse, all socioeconomic backgrounds. I chose to devote a significant portion of my practice to serving the poor communities of Los Angeles.

In 1998 I became a Referee of the Los Angeles Superior Court. As a Referee I run my own court and do similar work to a Judge. I closed my practice in 2003 and now sit permanently as a Referee. I have been doing Judge work now over 5 years and have sat in my own court for over two years. I am very qualified to be judge because I have now done the work for over 5 years. I have EXPERIENCE running a Courtroom. I bring varied experiences in different fields of law.

Another very important reason for entering this race is that the majority of people that appear before the court where I work are Latino. I am Mexican American, a product of this community. I am the 5th child of seven and the youngest of four women in the family. My parents were immigrants from Yucatan, Mexico. My parents arrived with three children, speaking only Spanish and Maya. I have experienced exclusion, lack of representation and inequality. My experiences and background is representative of the people who have not had access to the same arena as the majority have; women, people of color, monolingual speakers, each group has struggled for representation, equality and access to arenas such as the law, education, politics. I am now in a position that can incorporate experiences and have a positive effect on the persons previously mentioned and more. I firmly believe that people's lives can be touched, affected, and even changed through communication, conversation and or interaction with a Judge. I have personally seen it occur and believe it. The main reason I want to be a judge is to help and encourage that change of life for the good of the people before the court, their family, and our community. This is why I want to be a judge and ask for your vote. Please vote for Mildred Escobedo in seat number 18.

Answer from Miguel Angel Dager:

I am intelligent, fair, honest and hardworking. I have represented the city as a criminal prosecutor and a civil attorney for 14 years. I have experience ranging from criminal jury trials all the way to the State Supreme Court. I will take that experience to the bench.


Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. 

The order of the candidates is random and changes daily.


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Created: May 4, 2004 14:41 PDT
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