Candidate for
Superior Court Judge; County of San Diego; Office 19

I graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration, with a major in Accounting, from Villanova University in 1973. I graduated with a J.D. from the University of San Diego Law School in 1976.

I was admitted to the California State bar in December 1976. From then, until March 1978, I worked for a small, now defunct, civil firm, called Golden & Martin. In March 1978, I went to work for the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office, where I worked until April 1985. For five years while working in Los Angeles, I was assigned to work in one of the highest crime areas in the state of California, Compton. I gained a great deal of experience in a very short period of time during my five years in Compton. In April 1985, I went to work for the San Diego County Public Defender and stayed there until my appointment to the bench in May 2013.

During my 37 year professional career, I tried over 100 jury trials including being lead counsel on 2 death penalty jury trials. I also represented individuals on 3 other potentially death penalty cases, that settled for life without parole. I handled many high profile, high publicity cases for the San Diego Public Defender. I have had the extensive state court experience as a lawyer, and now as a Judge, that is required to be an excellent judge. I believe my performance as a judge has proven this. I am currently assigned to a very important high volume criminal felony settlement department. I am on the bench every day both mornings and afternoons. I am also the Jury Orientation speaker at the Vista courthouse.

I was certified by the California State Bar in 1985 as a Criminal Law Specialist, a designation I held until my judicial appointment. I also was a supervisor in the Public Defender's office for approximately 20 of my 28 years there.

Prior to being appointed to the bench by the Governor, I was thoroughly vetted by numerous judges, lawyers and justices, the state bar, as well as the Governor's Office. My experience both before, and since taking the bench makes me highly qualified to remain on the Superior Court.