Wednesday, November 9, 2005
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Covina Lawyer Rocky Crabb Elected Superior Court Commissioner
By a MetNews Staff Writer
Covina attorney Rocky Lee Crabb said yesterday he will take the bench as a Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner Nov. 21.
Crabb was chosen a commissioner by the court’s judges in balloting that ended last week. He told the MetNews he has spent the last six to eight weeks phasing out of law practice in contemplation of his election—he was the top-ranked candidate on the list—and “looking forward to a new challenge” after 25 years of solo law practice, all of it in Covina and West Covina.
He has been tentatively assigned to the Pomona North Courthouse, where he will hear traffic and small claims cases.
Crabb said his practice has consisted primarily of personal injury, family law, and business litigation. He has always had his own practice, bringing in other lawyers to work with on bigger cases rather than entering into a partnership, he explained.
He started his practice after graduating from Loyola Law School at age 25. He noted yesterday that he was single at the time and hoped that his contacts in the area, including lawyers he had clerked for, would enable him to jumpstart a practice and they did.
While most of his cases have been in the eastern area of Los Angeles County, Crabb said, his practice has taken him from San Diego to San Luis Obispo.
He said he has been active in the Eastern Bar Association and trial lawyers’ groups, as well as in local civic activities, including youth sports. He is the father of two children, one of whom attends UC Santa Barbara, where he obtained his undergraduate degree.
He recently applied for a vacant Superior Court judgeship, he said.
Crabb succeeds Commissioner Gary L. Bindman, who retired last month.
A court spokesperson said yesterday that ballots had gone out for another commissioner election, this one to succeed Robert Applegate, who was appointed a judge. Those ballots are to be counted Dec. 9, and the top-ranked candidate is former Superior Court Referee Joel Wallenstein.
The rankings, which are assigned by a panel of judges that interviews candidates, are not binding, but the top-ranked candidate has won every election for the past several years.
The candidates in the current election, in ranked order behind Wallenstein, are Deputy County Counsel Catherine Pratt, Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Zuzga, Deputy District Attorney Lori-Ann Jones, Los Angeles attorney Robert Harrison, Referee Stephen Marpet, Deputy District Attorney Lia R. Martin, Los Angeles attorney Paul Ted Suzuki, Manhattan Beach attorney Michele Flurer, Deputy District Attorney William J. Woods, Los Angeles attorney Adrienne L. Krikorian, and Referee Jacqueline H. Lewis.
Copyright 2005, Metropolitan News Company