Candidate for
Judge of the Superior Court; County of Los Angeles; Office 38

I AM A 5TH GENERATION CALIFORNIAN; MY FAMILY CAME HERE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE FOUNDING OF LOS ANGELES CITY AND COUNTY.

I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THE COURTS HAVE CUT BACK ON EMPLOYEES AND UPWARDS TO 300 EMPLOYEES ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS. I PLEDGE TO GIVE BACK BETWEEN 25% AND 50% OF THE JUDGE'S SALARY FOR THE FIRST YEAR TO KEEP 2 OR 3 EMPLOYEES ON THE PAYROLL, AND DEPENDING ON COURT FUNDING, UP TO 25% SUBSEQUENT YEARS. I ENJOYED WORKING AS A VOLUNTEER JUDGE PRO TEM FOR SO MANY YEARS WITHOUT PAY, THAT I WOULD CONSIDER THE MONEY JUST A BONUS. I WOULD DO THIS JOB FOR NO PAY!

I HAVE ALWAYS WORKED AND LIVED IN THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, AND I THINK I HAVE GREAT EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING AS A JUDGE. I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE HEARD MORE CASES THAN MOST SITTING JUDGES, SINCE I HAVE HEARD UP TO 75,000 TRAFFIC ARRAIGNMENT, TRAFFIC TRIAL, PARKING, UNLAWFUL DETAINERS AND OTHER CASES AS ASSIGNED BY THE PRESIDING JUDGE. I HAVE BEEN A PRACTICING ATTORNEY FOR OVER 31 YEARS, AND I WAS A JUDGE PRO TEM FOR OVER 14 YEARS.

I HAVE ATTENDED CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS, AND EXCEPT FOR UC BERKELEY, ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN IN THIS COUNTY, INCLUDING SOUTHWESTERN, UCLA, AND USC.

MY FAMILY HAS DEEP ROOTS IN THIS COMMUNITY. MY GRANDFATHER BUILT MANY OF THE HOUSES THAT ARE IN THE WESTWOOD AND BRENTWOOD AREAS OF LOS ANGELES, AND WAS A PIONEER BUILDER FOR THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY IN THE 50'S AND 60'S AS MANY PEOPLE WERE MOVING TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY.

I HAVE PROBABLY HEARD CLOSE TO 75,000 OR SO CASES AS A JUDGE PRO TEM, MEDIATOR OR ARBITRATOR FOR THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY COURTS. EACH YEAR I WAS GIVEN AN AWARD BY THE JUDGES FOR OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER FOR THE COURTS. I AVERAGED ABOUT 50 COURT DAYS PER YEAR, SAVING THE COUNTY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN MONEY THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE PAID TO A FULL TIME JUDGE.

I REALLY ENJOYED WORKING FOR THE JUDGES OF LOS ANGELES. MANY OF THEM HELPED ME MAKE THIS DECISION TO WORK FOR THE PEOPLE OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY FULL TIME.

PLEASE VOTE FOR ME ON JUNE 5, 2012!!