Readers React: Ex-D.A.s Garcetti and Cooley: Here are some resources for voters who want to know about judges

To the editor: I know the angst that op-ed article writer Diana Wagman and so many voters feel about voting almost blindly for judges.

For years I have received almost frantic last-minute phone calls and messages from family and friends asking me for my advice about the candidates for Los Angeles County Superior Court judge. On this year’s ballot, I know nothing about most of the candidates.

But the Los Angeles County Bar Assn. does an excellent job of evaluating each of these candidates, and I highly recommend that voters go to its website and find the final report of its 2018 Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee. There, voters can learn about the candidates, including ratings from “exceptionally well qualified” to “not qualified.”

Gil Garcetti, Los Angeles

The writer was district attorney of Los Angeles County from 1992-2000.

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To the editor: While the writer should be commended for encouraging voters to research candidates for contested judicial offices, she did not include the fact that the Metropolitan News-Enterprise, which has historically conducted the most in-depth and objective analyses of Los Angeles County judicial races, gave Sydne Michel its highest ranking.

Likewise, The Times Editorial Board endorsed Michel on the merits, noting her years of service as a prosecutor and as an experienced civil litigator.

Voters would be wise to consider these reputable sources as opposed to the writer’s cursory and wanting decision not to vote for Michel.

Steve Cooley, Rolling Hills Estates

The writer was district attorney of Los Angeles County from 2000-12.

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