The Judge: Judge Michael A. Smith, 57

Smith grew up in Monterey Park decided to pursue a legal career as a child watching courtroom dramas. After graduating from University of San Diego law school, he spent 12 years at the San Bernardino District Attorney’s office as a prosecutor, where he tried career criminals. One of his most noteworthy cases was a 1983 death penalty conviction against Demetrie Mayfield, who stole a car from a family and then went back and killed two people in the home after learning they might testify against him at the theft trial. (Death penalty sentence was later overturned on appeal). Smith ran for an open seat on the bench in 1986. He has run unopposed three times, and now is one of two judges at the San Bernardino County courthouse handling long trials. He has presided over many of the most high profile cases in the county in recent years including the trial of serial murderer Wayne Adam Ford. He splits his time between civil and criminal, but spends 85 percent of his time handling criminal cases. He earned his B.S. at Cal State University, Los Angeles, in 1971, and his law degree at University of San Diego Law School in 1974.