Metropolitan News-Enterprise

 

Monday, June 9, 2008

 

Page 1

 

Lee Edmon to Run for Superior Court Assistant Presiding Judge

 

By SHERRI M. OKAMOTO, Staff Writer

 

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lee Smalley Edmon said Friday she would run for assistant presiding judge of the court, making her the first candidate to declare for the post. 

In a “Dear Colleague” letter dated May 29, a copy of which she provided to the MetNews upon inquiry, Edmon emphasized her experience as a supervising judge of the court’s civil department, and as a member of the Executive Committee and Personnel and Budget Committee.

The former County Bar president, who was named Friday to the Judicial Council of California, also touted her membership in various statewide committees, including the Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee and the California Judges Association. She declared herself “a strong supporter of CJA.”

Supervising Judge

Edmon reminded colleagues that she has served as assistant supervising judge, and now supervising judge, of the downtown civil courts, working closely with the current assistant presiding judge, Charles “Tim” McCoy. If tradition holds, McCoy will run unopposed for presiding judge.

“As a Supervising Judge and member of our Executive Committee, I have had the pleasure of being able to visit with many of our judges, listen to their concerns and issues in the individual courthouses, and observe firsthand the many challenges facing our court,” she wrote.

Edmon identified preserving local benefits, court resources, local discretion and courthouse availability as “clear priorities” for the court, as well as enhancing courthouse safety. She also said that the personal needs and preferences of judges should be considered when making judicial assignments, and that the judicial assignment process should be “fair and open.”

Recent Decision

Edmon told the MetNews that she had been thinking about running “for some time,” and just recently made the decision to run.

She said:

“I have been involved in court management for a number of years and this is a wonderful opportunity to help the court and my fellow bench officers.”

If she is elected, Edmon would be the first female assistant presiding judge of the court, and presumptively the first female presiding judge. If tradition holds, the winner of the assistant presiding judge contest will serve a two-year term as presiding judge in 2011 and 2012.

Although she said she would be “honored” to receive that distinction, she said she did not anticipate her gender making a difference in the race, even though she said she had “no idea” if anyone would be running against her.

Under court rules, candidates must file a petition signed by no less than eight, and no more than 10 judges, no earlier than the first week, and no later than the second week, of September in order to run.

The voting is scheduled for October, with the winner taking office in January along with the new presiding judge. 

 

Copyright 2008, Metropolitan News Company