Embattled Judge Defends Court Audience Chant, But Apologizes for Calling Staffers 'Vegetables'
Accused of running her courtroom one day last year in a manner intended to maximize her calendar’s appeal to the producers of a potential Judge Judy-like show, a California jurist has provided a 75-page response justifying and explaining her conduct in response to legal ethics charges.
Until the Commission on Judicial Performance complained, says Superior Court Judge DeAnn Salcido, she was unaware that not all participants had been given a chance to forgo filming in her El Cajon courtroom on May 1, 2009. Also, she contends, audience chants she led during the misdemeanor domestic violence call were a legitimate aspect of her “collaborative court” approach, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune.
“I would routinely seek involvement from those in attendance in order to take advantage of what I call teachable moments,” writes Salcido, explaining the collaborative court concept, which she likens to a group meeting.
The judge admits she spoke too harshly of some individuals, however, and says she has already apologized for calling court employees “vegetables.”
She has been charged with willful misconduct for allegedly failing to follow court rules on filming and is also accused of making a number of inappropriate comments on the bench since January 2009.
Earlier coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Ethics Complaint Accuses Judge of Taping Court Proceedings for TV Tryout”
