I inherited a tendency to misspeak. Sometimes, what comes out of my mouth, is not what I was thinking. That can be a very bad trait for a judge. The following episode is my most "famous" misspeak. Youngest Judge in California (36 yrs old) I was filling in for our traffic commissioner, who called in … Continue reading 30 Years in Prison for A Speeding Ticket – Yikes!
"Court Case Friday" Some people go to great lengths to avoid getting traffic tickets, like using radar detectors or car pool lane dummies. A few traffic ticket cheaters are very creative and go to extreme measures. A motorcycle officer shared the following story with me. The motor cop saw a woman speeding. He turned on his emergency … Continue reading The Most Creative Traffic Ticket Cheat
For an experienced criminal law judge, most cases are not that complex, and most decisions are not that difficult. In fact, most criminal cases are fairly routine. (Drugs, DUI, Theft) Interestingly, my hardest sentencing decision involved a misdemeanor case. California Misdemeanor Vehicular Manslaughter Cases The case was misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. The criminal defendant was a … Continue reading My Most Difficult Judicial Decision: Death of the “Miracle” Baby
The Rude Angry Traffic Offender One of our judges shared coffee in chambers every morning with one of the local police department's transportation officers who brought prisoners to the courthouse each morning. They became good friends. The day the officer retired, he and some judges, clerks, and bailiffs decided play a prank on the judge. The officer … Continue reading 2 More Major Judicial Pranks
The Traffic Trial with the Vow of Silence Occasionally, I am “forced” to handle traffic court trials. I do not like these kinds of cases. The defendant’s frequently lie, slander the officer, and refuse to accept responsibility for their own conduct. I would much rather deal with “real” criminals, who are more generally more honest … Continue reading More Very “Eccentric” Criminals
The London Edition 