League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Los Angeles County, CA June 5, 2012 Election
	Douglas W. Weitzman Answers Questions Candidate for Judge of the Superior Court; County of Los Angeles; Office 38

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles County and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What experiences and personal qualities best equip you to serve as judge?

I have over 14 years experience as a Volunteer Temporary Judge. That is an attorney that is selected by the judges of Los Angeles County that has the knowledge, experience and training, as provided by the Superior Court, to hear matters as assigned by the presiding judge. These cases are mostly traffic arraignments, traffic trials, small claims, small claims appeals, landlord/tenant, and other civil matters as deemed appropriate by the presiding judge.

For each of those 14 years, I was in the top 10 attorney volunteers, and I received a plaque from the judges showing the court's appreciation for the approximately 50 court days per year that I volunteered. There is absolutley no pay to be a volunteer temporary judge.

From my own calculations, I think I have heard over 100,000 cases.

I enjoyed serving the citizens of LA County, and I would appreciate your vote so that I can continue doing this full time. I also intend to contribute up to 25% of my judge's pay so that the county may retain one or more of the employees that might be furloughed.

2. Do you believe that all citizens have adequate access to legal help and the legal system? If not, what can be done to provide wider and better access?

As a judge I want to get involved with making the courts more accessible to everyone. I am glad that the courts have raised the limits for small claims. I want to get involved with ADR (alternative dispute resolution), whereby more attorneys are utilized in a volunteer basis so that they can assist with mediations and arbitrations of disputes.

I want to have a "super small claims" court, where simple matters that are stipulated to by the parties, and that they agree not to have attorneys, can be heard by a temporary judge, up to $100,000. They would be allowed up to 3 hours, and would have to agree to that.

Also, I know that many law schools allow their students to assist the courts in this manner.

I want to try to work with the judicial council in making more forms user friendly. They have made tremendous strides in doing this already, and I look forward to even more!

I believe one of the most important roles of a judge is to help resolve disputes without the judge actually having to make rulings that will be adverse to one or more parties.

I am very fond and impressed with supervising judge Gerald Rosenberg. He has had tremendous success working with litigants and their attorneys, (including myself), and I recommend that the courts follow his lead.

I want to be like Judge Rosenberg, and I hope to get the chance.

Thank you.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' answers are presented as submitted.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: May 25, 2012 07:43
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