My Most Expensive Meal Ever

"Memorable Stories" In 1989, I attended the 2-week “Judges College” for new judges at U.C. Berkeley. We stayed in the student dorms and ate breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria. For dinners, we were on our own. I had a county allowance of $100 for dinners - $7 per meal. (In today’s money that would … Continue reading My Most Expensive Meal Ever →

Entertaining DUI Marijuana Cases

Marijuana and Driving Ever since marijuana became legal in California, the number of people driving under the influence of marijuana has skyrocketed. This was an unintended, but obvious, consequence of legalization. Marijuana plants contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), a psychoactive drug that gives a “high.” Like alcohol, THC is a central nervous system suppressant/depressant. Like alcohol, THC … Continue reading Entertaining DUI Marijuana Cases →

“He Chose Alcohol Over Love, Booze Over His Beloved”

"Court Case Friday" A girlfriend and boyfriend loved each other and lived together for years. They were both heavy drinkers. One night, in a nearby county, they both got drunk and ended up in a fight. A witness called the police. Since the boyfriend “won” the fight, the police deemed him to be the “primary … Continue reading “He Chose Alcohol Over Love, Booze Over His Beloved” →

Myth of Addictus: Slavery of Sin and Addiction

The word “addiction” comes from the Latin “addictus” meaning “slave.” In ancient Rome, an “addictus” was a “debt slave.” He or she was a person who was enslaved by a creditor because of a debt. Once the debt was paid, the slave was freed. (This is the same philosophy underlying “debtor’s prison.”) The Roman Myth … Continue reading Myth of Addictus: Slavery of Sin and Addiction →

“He Needs Air!” Case of the Drug Crazed Mom Stabbing Her Toddler

I have presided over countless tragic drug cases. This is one of the saddest. The woman next door decided to visit the defendant. As the neighbor approached the front door she glanced inside the living room window. She saw a horrifying sight. The defendant was holding her three-year old son by the back of his hair with … Continue reading “He Needs Air!” Case of the Drug Crazed Mom Stabbing Her Toddler →

5 More False Facts We Believe

“It ain't so much the things that people don't know that makes trouble in this world, as it is the things that people know that ain't so.” — Mark Twain I cringe knowing that so many of the “facts” I have been taught over the years are false. Here are five more false facts that … Continue reading 5 More False Facts We Believe →