JULIANNE - JUDGE

1. How would you describe your work?
As a judge on the Court of Appeals, my work consists of reading the briefs submitted by individuals or attorneys on behalf of individuals who are not satisfied that the trial court judge or jury decided their case correctly and determining whether the law was followed or not. Put more specifically, when parties to a law suit in a trial court – like a municipal court, a court of common pleas or even an administrative – believe that the decision reached in their case was wrong, they have what is known as an “appeal as of right” where they can ask a panel of three judges to review what happened in their case to see if there was a mistake made which would have changed the outcome. These unhappy people have to provide a copy of the transcript of their trial or hearing to the Court of Appeals and write up to 30 pages (called a “brief”) explaining what went wrong, citing other cases that were decided in favor of people in similar situations. They also have the right to argue in front of those three judges in a courtroom for 15 minutes, explaining why the decision was wrong (or why it was right if you’re on the other side) and answering any questions the judges may have. This is called “oral argument.” (You can actually watch these arguments on YouTube). The duty of the Court of Appeals is to look primarily at the law that was applied to the facts of the case. The “facts” are determined by the trial courts – either by the jury or the judge – and the judges of the Court of Appeals rarely re- assess those facts unless specifically asked to.
After the three judges have read the briefs and listened to the oral arguments, they sit down to “conference” over what they’ve read and heard to discuss how the case will be decided. One of the judges is assigned the duty of writing the decision and the others will read it and decide if they are in agreement or if they do not agree (they “dissent”). The decision will be published and frequently can have far reaching effects on other similar cases not only in my district, but statewide as well.

2. What are some ways that your work is a reflection of God?
I believe that the writers of our Declaration of Independence – the founders of our great country got it right – our “rights” aren’t granted to us by our government, they are “bestowed” upon us when we are conceived and born and are “unalienable” in that our government cannot take our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness away from us. I believe that we are all born “equal” and the choices that are made for us and that we make from that moment on mold who we are and where we end up. Our laws were written to ensure that our ability to pursue life, liberty, and happiness are not “infringed upon” (read “legislated away”) by a government that becomes power hungry, corrupt and carnivorous over time. Because I believe this is the very core of my being, and because I believe that these rights are being stripped away from us each and every day in seemingly benign ways, my work is to ensure that our God-given rights as human beings and American citizens are not “alienated” from us by well-meaning and benevolent tyrants. My work is a reflection of God in that I am sworn to uphold the Constitution and laws were formulated upon Judeo-Christian values and the Ten Commandments and my work – my sole purpose – is to preserve those values for as long as I am able.

3. How does your work provide insight into the brokenness of this world?
My work revolves around disputes, controversy and crimes among and between people. It includes reviewing transcripts of trials for murder, assault, kidnapping, rape, robbery, child abuse, child neglect, domestic violence, drunk driving, drug abuse, theft, business disagreements, defective products, and on and on. I read about the real brokenness of the world every day and must make decisions about who we as a community resolve disputes, punish offenders or recompense victims. It is a mind-boggling broken world – because the light of God has been turned off or never been seen by so many who continually struggle in this world. It would be very easy to become jaded, cynical and burned out by the horrific things I read people do to each other, but I start each day knowing I am doing God’s work to try to help those in my small corner of God’s world.

4. Jesus commands us to “love our neighbors as ourselves.” How does your work function as an opportunity to love and serve others?
In the pocket of my black robe is a silver cross that looks like it’s made of wheat sheaves. I keep it in there to remind myself that I am not judging the people whose cases I am reviewing for who they are, but simply judging the trial court’s assessment of their behavior on a particular day or for a particular event. It is God’s job to judge them for their cumulative life’s “work!” I pray daily for wisdom and guidance to keep my perspective open and to not become enmeshed in the traumas and dramas that come before me. I also remind myself daily that not only do I answer to God, but I answer to and serve the 1.3 million people in my jurisdiction. I feel as strongly about defending each of their individual freedom and rights as I am protective of my own! As a public servant, I endeavor to attend as many community functions as I can to continue to make sure folks feel a connection and a comfort level with their elected judge. Also, the other district judges are willing to hold oral arguments in any high school within our jurisdiction! That means that actual attorneys would come before the three-judge panel and make their case as to why the trial court got it wrong in front of an auditorium of students. There’s usually a criminal case and a civil case – each of which have interesting facts that make it fun for students to hear.