Happy New Year to all of you desperateexes.com readers and fans! My New Year started out on a terrible tone as I had a terrible personal problem that I hope time will take care of…BUT, I did want to try and bring some new insight into the world of Family Law Judges, aka DIVORCE!
I spent January 2, 2009 in Department 6, Commissioner Steff Padillas courtroom, from about 0830 hrs. to almost 1600 hrs. Commissioner Padilla has to be one of the most compassionate bench officers I have seen in a very long time. She has a style that comes across as someone you could just walk up to and share a coffee and a sandwich. This judge knows her stuff and has all of the quick comebacks that come from meting out justice, and making decisions for people in the throes of divorce who cannot make them for themselves. One of her many quotes this morning was this is how the cow ate the cabbage…a comment also of just being a “southern girl.” Cows, cabbage, southern girl, welcome to department 6!
Another comment that she made to a couple before her was if you don’t respect your parents, who do you respect?…this was especially difficult for me to hear having just gone through one of the worst holiday seasons in my life. Commissioner Padillas attention to what one side or the other wanted to tell her was a style that you seldom see in any courtroom in this country and she made it a point for those in front of her to speak and express themselves, BRAVO! Another class act in a show where class seldom exists, Commissioner Padilla also reflects on her own parenting experiences and of her time as a criminal defense lawyer…she brings with her a great deal of baggage and all of it good!