02/24/2024
Hello Friends and Family,
I will also post this on my candidate's page, but just trying to reach my constituents, I am posting in both places.
Best to all
Here are my answers to
-Why are you running?
My name is Anna Gregorian and I am grateful to address the people of Lake County, my constituents, about my journey to become the next Lake County Superior Court Judge for Department 4. I have spent years navigating the intricate dance of legal arguments, crafting briefs, and standing before judges with unwavering determination. I have over the last few years yearned to ascend beyond the role of an advocate. I am now ready for humble service to the public as Superior Court Judge of Department 4.
- Why are you challenging Dept 4?
Currently, there are three judicial positions and I am specifically running for one department and that is department four. Judicial independence, impartiality, and integrity shall dictate the conduct of judges and candidates. In that regard, I believe that my skill set, integrity, and commitment to the people of our county will best be served by my service in that department. My background is as an independent attorney without professional ties to the establishment. As a public defender, my role was independent since I was contracted as a sole practitioner. This characteristic is what the electorate expects and it is desired for fair, unbiased, and independent judging. This is the opposite of having institutional knowledge which lends to criticism of cronyism, inflexibility, and bias. Specifically, I chose to challenge Department 4 because I believe that change is necessary and I am the person that can meet the challenges ahead.
What key areas of focus do you plan to undertake?
My areas of focus will be dictated to me by the presiding judge and/or the Court Executive Officer of our county and the roles that I am assigned. The presiding judge is responsible, with the assistance of the court executive officer, for leading the court, establishing policies, and allocating resources in a manner, including setting the calendars and judicial assignments, that promotes access to justice for all members of the public, and provides a forum for the fair and expeditious resolution of disputes. My goal will be to focus on expeditious resolution to ensure orders get out timely and to submit to the dictates of the presiding judge.
-Do you think you have the temperament to be a judge?
-Judicial temperament requires the ability to communicate with counsel, jurors, witnesses, and parties calmly and courteously, as well as the willingness to listen to and consider what is said on all sides of a debatable proposition. A candidate should exhibit the following aspects of proper judicial temperament: Patience, open-mindedness, courtesy, tact, courage, punctuality, firmness, understanding, compassion, humility, and common sense.
I have spent 22 years serving the interests of my clients and in that time I have developed the temperament of a judge. It is developed through experience. This is because it is in my client's interest to understand the other side's case and to predict how a court will handle the issues at hand.
The purpose of our judicial system is to uphold the law. I am fair, unbiased, and independent, I follow the law, and have integrity and a good work ethic. I think the biggest challenge for me will be to be tactful and to deal with others without giving offense. Active listening is the solution for responding to a person with tact.
What are your characteristics that would make you a good judge?
My characteristics: Honesty, Hardworking, Dedication, Fair
I am a person that can focus and complete a task presented. I am passionate and caring, while at the same time, I can stand up to anyone. I am completely honest and I work hard and prepare for tasks ahead of time.
I am a litigator who carries a heavy caseload. I have done hundreds of trials in Lake County since 2008 involving criminal, civil, family law, restraining orders, probate, paternity, as well as other cases where false allegations are involved. My experience involves juries and bench trials. My skill set is trial preparation and trial ex*****on. I will be able to handle the trial caseload that I will be presented with.
My professional background is in varied. I was raised in a family-owned business environment involving commercial art and art supply sales to the San Francisco art and architecture community. I worked at the business and promotions and sales end of the business. After that, I worked and interned and was an assistant director in the social justice, criminal justice, and prison reform communities of the East Bay and Sacramento. My ability to organize and execute business, promotions and social justice is just what is needed to implement and motivate all the participants and collateral agencies. I will hold the agencies to their responsibilities with the goal that a person does not have to keep coming back or slip through a cumbersome system.
What are your thoughts on mental health court, drug court, veterans court, and Care Court?
As a criminal justice reformer in the 1990s, these courts and programs were the same approaches that I advocated for and promoted. These specialized courts and calendars utilize the principles of therapeutic and restorative justice to more effectively deal with the problems of certain target populations. I am excited about the transition and implementing these programs. These calendars are heroic responses to our society's problems implemented through our judicial system which provides due process and support for our vulnerable populations. This is the public I have long served and it is exciting that there is now judicial recognition of their needs. I have a passion for this reformative approach and a personal commitment to its success. At the same time that I will hold the participants to court-ordered responsibilities as well, I would hold the behavioral health department and social services to their responsibilities as well. I have not had a professional defending those institutions as an employee of the County Counsel, but I have always questioned their actions and held them to their responsibilities under the law, and demanded compliance and fair treatment.
