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Saturday Is Your Chance To Learn About Some Of Candidates In One Of The Most Important Local Elections
The Los Angeles County Superior Court in Compton.
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Frazer Harrison
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Topline:
In March, Angelenos will have a chance to elect a number of L.A. County Superior Court judges in the primary. These races are some of the most important, as well as some of the most under-the-radar, in any election.
Why now: On Saturday, the Whittier Community Center is hosting a free event to give the public a chance to hear from many of the candidates who are running for these judicial positions. There are nine contested races for Superior Court judgeship this year, including two challenges to incumbents.
Robert Bonner is a former U.S. District judge and former chair of the California Commission for Judicial Performance — an independent state agency that holds judges accountable. He told LAist there aren't many opportunities outside of Saturday's event where voters can learn about judicial candidates.
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"There really wasn't any forum where you could actually see the candidates, hear them [on] why they think they would make a good judge, and to be able to make some assessment of which one of the candidates that is running would be the best person, best suited by temperament and experience and, hopefully, wisdom to be a judge," Bonner said.
During the Saturday forum, candidates will field questions from Bonner about their judicial philosophy, their background and experience. He said those in the audience will also have a chance to pose their own questions.
Why it matters: Bonner said these races for county superior court judges are as important as they are under covered by most media.
"[These judges are] one of the most important judicial jobs, frankly, not just in the county, but in the country," Bonner said, adding that they oversee a range of cases from criminal to civil in a spectrum of areas.
"This is the intersection, really, of the justice system with people that are engaged, either because of civil cases or were because of criminal cases in which they're either the defendant or perhaps the victim of a crime," Bonner said.
Event details
Date / Time: Saturday, Jan. 13, from 10 a.m. to noon
Where: Whittier Community Center, 7630 Washington Ave.
Cost: Free
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Go deeper: Stay tuned for LAist's Voter Game Plan in early February. It will have information on the L.A. County Superior Court races and many others.
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