For which department is your candidacy? Department One
How long have you resided in Calaveras County? Since 1974 - 40 years.
What are your qualifications? Admitted to practice 1974- former deputy district Attorney.
What are your greatest strengths? I have worked in all areas of the law.
What are your greatest weaknesses? I may work too hard.
Do you feel you can be impartial? Absolutely.
Why have you chosen to be a candidate for civil/criminal
superior court judge? Because I am qualified.
What do you perceive as the greatest obstacles to justice
within our County?Poor economy.
How would you address the perceived rise in juvenile crime? with education - early!
Do you support specialty courts? (Please explain your answer
and define which specialty courts you would like to see continue or implemented
in Calaveras County.) Drug Court.
What is your general judicial philosophy? Follow the law.
Would you favor or oppose a system in which all sentencing
decisions were routinely reported in local newspapers, indexed by the name of
the judge? No opinion.
Have you ever been disciplined by the State Bar association? No.
What are your outside interests? Golf and watch sports.
At this point I will allow any additional information the
candidate would like to disseminate to the public within the parameters of the
judicial canon, limited to 200 words.
I began practicing law in 1974 at the Calaveras County District Attorney's Office. I then went into private practice, and I have handled cases from Unlawful Detainers to Murder Cases. I have also practiced Real Estate, Personal Injury, Family and Criminal Law. I have appeared in most of the Superior Courts, Court of Appeals, and Federal Courts in Central and Northern California.
I believe the court system needs to be friendly to the citizens whether or not they are able to afford an attorney. I have given thought to possibly having a night court calendar for working people, as well as staggering calendar times to expedite cases for those people who are paying an attorney.
I obtained my undergraduate degree at Boston College where I graduated Magna Cum Laude, and I attended the University of San Francisco School of Law where I graduated in 1974.
I have been married to Lorraine for 37 years and have two great children, Melissa and Stephanie. I have enjoyed the practice of law as an attorney and would look forward to implementing the law.
