07/26/2022
I've said many times that you need three things to be a good judge: experience, expertise, and common sense. When I talk about common sense, what I'm really talking about is life experience. Part of what makes me a good judge is that I've done more than just school and the law. That path is fine, but it doesn't really teach you much about real life for most of the people in our community.
My path was different. I'm the daughter of two teachers. I started working at 14 pulling potatoes and I've worked ever since. Most people know by now that I was a boat captain for a number of years all across the country. But I did a lot more than that.
I've been a substitute teacher, waitressed, worked at Subway (I was a great sandwich artist), sold boats, and was a baker, among other things. Mind you, these were not just summer jobs or part-time gigs to make some extra cash. These were the jobs I had to make a living, full-time employment I relied on completely. But why does it matter?
While I didn't know it then, these jobs are invaluable to me as a judge. I am proud of my work history, the skills that I've learned. And that knowledge base is helpful understanding the wide variety of cases that come into my court.
But, I've also lived the human side of it. I know what's it like to have your boss come in and yell at you for something that wasn't your fault. I've been injured at work and been scared to file for workman's comp. I remember feeling vulnerable and angry when I was asked to sign the release of liability.
I know the pride of building something, of ownership of something you had to work for. I understand the fear and pressure of trying to balance the necessary day-to-day obligations of life with a company saying you'll be fired if you miss another hour of work.
In law school I remember a discussion in class on employment law where one student raised her hand and asked: why people would need breaks during the workday-- why should the employer be forced to pay them to "stand around?" I have a pretty good poker face, but my jaw hit the floor-- what kind of question was that? Simply, it was the question of someone who understood the black letter of the law, but not the real world application. My life has prepared me to bridge that gap.
As I've said, you need common sense to be a good judge. That's not something you learn from a book or in a courtroom-- it comes from real world experience.
