t their first debate, lawyers competing in Contra Costa County's judicial race vied with one another to prove they would be the toughest on the bench.
It's unclear how that message will play in the campaign to replace retiring Superior Court Judge Walter Rogers. Nevertheless, Commissioner Joel Golub, Deputy DA Stacey Grassini and real estate lawyer Malcolm Sher stared sternly into the cameras Friday at their televised debate and talked tough about crime. The fourth candidate, civil attorney Cheryl Mills, decided to focus on her legal experience managing complex civil litigation.
Criminals "are held accountable in my courtroom" and punished to the "full extent of the law," promised Golub, a 53-year-old court commissioner who has focused his campaign on his experience on the bench. He has presided for nine years over a variety of cases, such as landlord-tenant and traffic matters.
Grassini, a 37-year-old prosecutor who touts his credentials trying criminal cases and working in the district attorney's office for nearly a decade, pledged to be "stern with lawbreakers" and protect law-abiding citizens.
However, when Grassini said that his knowledge of the Evidence Code would help him deal with frivolous lawsuits, Mills disagreed.
"Evidence code is not enough," said Mills, adding that what's needed is actually a knowledge of law. Mills said she has managed 26,000 cases and attorneys in 23 states.
Mills is a 48-year-old civil attorney and partner at Walnut Creek's Mills & Larson. She's married to Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Bruce Mills.
Malcolm Sher, a 54-year-old real estate attorney, vowed to protect residents from "threats to the community." The Walnut Creek solo promised to bring more students into courtrooms and to make the court more accessible through open houses.
The moderator, Contra Costa Times political editor Daniel Borenstein, also asked how the candidates would treat the public and courtroom staff, referring to recent allegations that a Contra Costa judge was insulting and disrespectful to court staff, jurors and attorneys. The Commission on Judicial Performance alleges that Judge Bruce Van Voorhis harshly berated people in his courtroom.
All four candidates promised that they would be courteous to staff, jurors and attorneys. At the same time, they said they would take to task unprepared lawyers who needlessly stall cases and waste jurors' time.
The candidates also used the forum to point out what they touted as unique qualifications for the job.
Golub tried to drive home that he has essentially done judicial work for nine years as a court commissioner. The 53-year-old ran unsuccessfully against prosecutor William "Dan" O'Malley in 2000.
Sher, a Walnut Creek solo who also sits pro tem in small claims court, said he is devoted to increasing access and keeping frivolous cases out of the system.
Mills said she wants to help increase court access for people who don't speak English.
Grassini emphasized that most of the jury trials in the court system are criminal cases and said his experience in the DA's office would be best suited for the job.
In closing remarks he said he is "not a bureaucrat, a commissioner [or] an attorney chasing the almighty dollar" - an apparent dig at all three of his rivals.
The forum, which was taped by the county government channel CCTV, is scheduled to air five times before Election Day. Those days are Feb. 6 at 8:30 p.m.; Feb. 20 at 9:30 p.m.; March 1 at 5:30 p.m.; March 2 at 1 p.m. and at 9:30 p.m.; and March 3 at 4:30 p.m.
Information about which channel CCTV is found on local cable systems is available at www.contracostatv.org.
