Throughout my career I have taken deep dives into a large variety of complicated criminal law and constitutional issues; this includes racial discrimination in jury selection, expert witnesses and hearsay, mental health and competency, the right to an unbiased jury, courtroom security measures, and many more. Much of this experience comes from my work at the Office of the State Public Defender handling direct appeals in the California Supreme Court. I became a public defender because I have a very deeply-held conviction that every person deserves a level of compassion that isn’t earned and can’t be forfeited. As a deputy attorney general with the Government Law Section of California’s Department of Justice, I worked on a wide variety of complex cases concerning election, housing, fiscal, and regulatory issues.  I also did a tremendous amount of work on Second Amendment issues, helping to ensure that California’s firearm restrictions are appropriate, in keeping with public safety, and are lawful. 

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As a Court Commissioner, I already do the work of a judge. I’ve been through the same judicial training that all new judges and commissioners receive, including New Judge Orientation and Judicial College. I know how to manage a courtroom efficiently. I know how to interact with litigants, including those who are self-represented, to ensure they have the opportunity to be heard. I know how to prepare for a calendar and to handle the matters before me efficiently, fairly, and in keeping with the rule of law. These experiences have given me: a deep understanding of family, criminal, and civil law; strong respect for the rule of law; and a commitment to ensuring every person in court is treated with compassion, dignity, and respect.