Buzz on Judicial Races

For a couple of reasons, there is going to be more and more buzz around judicial races this year despite the fact that they are usually so boring that even I don't really follow them that closely.

But because of questionable acts and convictions of members of the bench, judicial candidates are going to be under more scrutiny than in past years. Plus there will be more hotly contested races this go around.

So there is buzz all over the place. For some reason one of the things people have been buzzing about is whether or not Yvonne Rodriquez will stay in the race for the 388th. Despite repeated rumors to the contrary, I spoke with Rodriquez over the weekend and she indicated that she is a candidate for the 388th. There has been talk about her pursuing a Court of Appeals seat, but thats not gonna happen. She has everything printed for the 388th already. She did not completely close the door on pursuing the appeals court job, but she did indicate that it was not likely and that she was pretty firm in her race for the 388th and reminded me that that is the race she filed to run for already.

Apparently there is another candidate, who I believe is a municipal judge that was appointed, that may jump in to the 388th. Buzz around the courthouse is that he sought out a legal opinion as to whether he would have to resign to run for the position. Sources say he would not have to because its an appointed position.

Interestingly, his last name is Rodriguez as well.  Its already a crowded field which would give an unfamiliar name on the ballot a disadvantage and having the same last name as another candidate doesn't make him any more viable. We'll see how this one develops.

The other buzz was whether Judge Regina Arditti would run for re-election. I had heard shortly after the verdict in her trial that she was in fact running for re-election. The question is not IF she'll get an opponent, but HOW MANY opponents she will get. Ironically, the more people in the race, the easier it will be for her to win re-election. Obviously headlines over a large portion of her term hanging over her head are a major factor in her vulnerability. If you remember she spent a lot of money in her bid to win the seat and I think I remember something about a second mortgage or something along those lines.

Speaking of Judge Arditti, one of her attorneys in the nepotism case is also rumored to be running for a seat on the bench. Buzz around the courthouse is that Theresa Caballero is looking at running for a judicial seat. If she's going for the seat I think she is going for, there may be another prominent attorney eyeing the same seat that has countywide campaign experience as well. I'm still confirming details so I will have to update you all later.

There is also some buzz about a sitting judge pursuing another judicial seat. Again, I am still in the process of confirming if that is true. I don't remember the case of a sitting judge leaving one seat to pursue another so I don't know how it would be received in the legal community or if they would even be a concern.

Thats all I have for now in the judicial races.