2023 - Volume 2 - Summer - Flipbook - Page 4
been better at intervening or providing the resources the
defendants needed when they were young. It is important for us to think about how intervening with prevention education for the youth and families can prevent what happens down the road.
-Q&A: Continued from page 1-
He always encouraged me to pursue my dreams and
do whatever I wanted, but he emphasized doing it
with dedication. What also stuck with me was the desire to serve others, especially those who didn't have a
voice. The legal profession was the perfect place to
do it.
Q: Can you give us some examples of the work
you're doing for the juveniles?
A: We prioritize early intervention and support for families to create a stable environment. One key aspect is
ensuring access to education, stable housing, and necessary mental health treatment. We diligently work on
these projects, not only for minors but also on the adult
side. For instance, we offer collaborative treatment
courts. Recently, we are implementing the Governor’s
directives and statutory work through the CARE Act,
which involves working with individuals with schizophrenia in need of proper treatment and stable housing.
Q: What are the key experiences that prepared you
for your role as a judge?
A: Life has taught me a lot. I learned the importance
to communicate well, be open-minded, and be nonjudgmental. I also learned to always push myself to do
better and give back to the community. These are
some of the things that prepared me for this role and
beyond.
When it comes to my career, as an adjunct professor at
Chapman and Western State, I always tell new law
students to explore all sorts of experiences, including
internships, externships, and volunteer experience. It
is important to find what fits you best.
In addition to these specific programs, we have various
treatment courts and resources to address mental health,
housing stability, substance abuse disorders, and interdependency issues. The focus is on providing voluntary
programming and support for families to help them get
back on their feet and ensure that families can remain
unified. We understand the traumatic impact on a child
when they are separated from their home, even if it is a
bad home.
Q: You are the Presiding Judge of Orange County.
Can you tell us about the role of a Presiding
Judge?
A: As a presiding judge, I oversee all court operations
in Orange County. We have multiple justice centers,
144 authorized judicial officers, around 1600 employees, and a working budget of about 250 million. It’s
akin to being the CEO of a major corporation. We
work to provide access to justice to everyone equally
and fairly, resolve issues that come before us impartially, and reach the people who need to be heard.
Q: As a judge and officer of our legal system, what
do you think is the role of the legal system in helping
minors in our community? What improvements do
you think the system can make to better assist minors?
A: We have a unique opportunity to intervene appropriately, including early intervention and prevention with
programming and resources as well as collaborating
with stakeholders such as social services, healthcare
agencies, probation departments, and law enforcement
agencies. In Orange County, we have a strong collaborative approach involving various affiliate organizations like OCBA affiliates, ABTL, OCTLA, and many
more. Despite our best effort, sometimes there needs to
be a forum for people to be heard. The judicial system
provides solutions to issues people cannot otherwise
get. It is very important that we are available to them.
Q: You are also known for your work with juveniles. What led you to this work?
A: Juvenile work has always been a passion of mine. I
spent about a decade in the juvenile court and was the
presiding judge between 2014 and 2018. We often
talk about assisting vulnerable communities, and I
think the youth of this community is where we can
have some of the most impactful and important work.
I believe addressing the needs of vulnerable youth and
families upfront is crucial as it will avoid some of the
detrimental consequences on the back end.
I learned this also as a public defender. I spent 16
years doing criminal defense work at the public defender’s office. It didn’t take long for me to see that,
for every capital case I had, the system could have
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