2 Candidates Hoping to Increase the Ranks of Women on the Bench

Two women vying for Superior Court judicial posts see the November election as a rare opportunity to increase the presence of women on a bench that they say is woefully out of balance genderwise.

Only four of 59 Superior Court judges are female. A fifth woman, Municipal Judge Barbara Nomoto Schumann in Santa Ana, was elected outright to the bench in March and will be sworn in three months from now.

“Women have, for some reason, had a difficult time getting appointed in our county, and I think that’s one of the reasons why there are so many women running in this election,” said attorney Michelle A. Reinglass, a past president of the Orange County Bar Assn. and Schumann’s campaign manager. “People are taking matters into their own hands.”

Municipal Judge Carla M. Singer in Fullerton faces Deputy Dist. Atty. Tom Dunn for one of the two Superior Court vacancies, while Huntington Beach attorney Nancy A. Pollard is up against Municipal Judge James M. Brooks in Santa Ana for the other.

The third judicial race is for the Municipal Court in Laguna Niguel. Vying to replace retiring Judge Arthur G. Koelle are Deputy Dist. Atty. Carl Biggs and attorney Paul J. Nestor, a retired military judge.

The three contests resulted in November runoffs because none of the candidates were able to garner the simple majority needed to win outright during the March elections.

Singer and Dunn emerged as the top two finishers in a race to replace retiring Judge Marvin G. Weeks. Both candidates portray themselves as experienced and tough on crime.

Singer, 49, was appointed to the Municipal Court bench in 1990. She is a former county prosecutor, deputy state attorney general and investigator with the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. She has received numerous endorsements from police associations.

Singer remembers the difficulty she had breaking into law enforcement as a young woman in the 1960s, and views this election as an opportunity to further the progress of women.

“The county has the chance, for the first time in my recent memory, to elect two women to the Superior Court bench,” she said.

Singer faces tough opposition in Dunn, a 12-year member of the district attorney’s office.

Dunn, 41, said that as a judge, he would crack down on criminals who use “the criminal justice system as a revolving door and are serving life on the installment plan.”

Dunn said he had a 100% conviction rate in felony trials as a prosecutor. His first case before the California Supreme Court resulted in making it easier for single parents to collect child support. He recently handled complex issues in the appellate courts.

In the contest to replace retiring Superior Court Judge Floyd H. Schenk, Brooks and Pollard vow to hand out tough sentences to “three strikes” offenders.

Brooks, 59, said he would seek the greatest punishment against anyone who preys upon women, children or the elderly.

“The citizens are not comfortable in their society, they are fearful,” he said. “People are becoming prisoners of crime and criminals. I think once these criminals get to court, even though the prisons and jails are crowded, we’ve got to find a place to lock these people up.”

Brooks is a former county prosecutor who was elected to the Municipal Court bench in Santa Ana in 1986, and was presiding judge in 1992 and 1993. His assignments have included a recent six-month stint trying and settling civil cases in Superior Court.

Pollard, 57, also is talking tough on crime.

“You need to treat gang members like hardened criminals, not misguided youths,” she said.

Pollard is a private attorney and president of the Coast Community College District Board of Trustees, on which she has served for 13 years. She became an attorney 14 years ago, and has experience in civil, criminal and immigration law.

“I have a broad background with the law,” Pollard said. “I have experience in the kind of work performed by a Superior Court judge. I run my own business and exercise a great deal of fiscal responsibility.”

In the Municipal Court race in Laguna Niguel, Biggs, 46, believes that his familiarity with the cases and the procedures there make him the best candidate.

“I’ve handled hundreds and hundreds of the types of cases that will come before me if I’m elected judge,” he said.

Biggs said the four judges in South County are overworked, however.

“I think South Court needs more help,” he said. “It needs a better facility and the judge that comes into the position will have to work hard with his colleagues to get another judge down there.”

Biggs said he advocates a “truth in sentencing system” where a criminal actually serves the length of time he is sentenced.

Biggs’ opponent, Nestor, said he too is prepared to step into the courthouse routine.

“It’s probably the busiest court in the state as far as number of trials per judge,” said Nestor, 51. “But work is something that has never bothered me.”

Nestor touts his extensive experience in the military legal system where he was also a prosecutor. He advocates tougher punishment of violent offenders and the protection of victims’ rights.

“I think too often victims are shuffled off to the background and given short shrift in the system,” he said. “I think judges especially ought to be looking to protect these victims’ rights. I’d like to make the criminal responsible for their behavior and not lay the blame on society and environment.”

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Judicial Candidates

Six candidates are running for three O.C. judicial posts--two in Superior Court, one in Municipal Court. A quick look at the races:

SUPERIOR COURT

OFFICE NUMBER 17

James M. Brooks

Age: 59

Occupation: Judge of Municipal Court in Santa Ana

Background: 13 years’ experience as Orange County deputy district attorney

Major issue: Tough sentences for three-strikes offenders, gang criminals or any defendant who preys upon women, children or the elderly

Nancy A. Pollard

Age: 57

Occupation: Attorney

Background: President of Coast Community College District Board of Trustees

Major issue: Enforce spirit of three-strikes law to its fullest

OFFICE NUMBER 22

Tom Dunn

Age: 41

Occupation: Senior deputy district attorney

Background: Professor at Western State University College of Law in Fullerton; former assistant vice president with Downey Savings & Loan

Major issue: Protection of community from criminals who continually get released back into neighborhoods

Carla M. Singer

Age: 49

Occupation: Judge at Municipal Court in Fullerton

Background: Former prosecutor and investigator in Orange County district attorney’s office and California attorney general’s office

Major issue: Tough on crime; committed to safe streets, schools and neighborhoods

MUNICIPAL COURT IN LAGUNA NIGUEL

Carl Biggs

Age: 46

Occupation: Senior deputy district attorney, supervising the office’s juvenile court division

Background: Former Stanislaus County deputy district attorney; former member of Laguna Niguel Planning Commission

Major issue: Wants to ease overcrowded condition in South County court by having more judges assigned; wants larger courthouse

Paul J. Nestor

Age: 51

Occupation: Attorney

Background: Former military judge and prosecutor

Major issue: Tougher sentencing for convicted violent offenders

Source: Individual candidates