Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
16MagistrateMcCormickcontdfromPage15IspendseveraldayseachmonthastheCourtscriminaldutyjudgehereinSantaAnawhichmeansthatIspendsomeorallofthedayhandlingcriminalmatterslikesearchwarrantspenregisterapplicationsarraignmentsandbaildetentionhearings.Thirdinnon-194civilcasesIhandlealldiscoverymotionswherereferredbythepre-sidingdistrictjudge.Fourththemagistratejudgesareavailabletoconductsettlementconferencesincivilcases.Thosearetypicallyhalf-dayorall-dayaffairsthatconsumeagreatdealofenergyespe-ciallywherethecaseinvolvesemotionally-chargedorlegallycomplexissues.Finallypartiesincivilcasescanconsenttomagistratejudgejuris-dictionandessentiallyelecttohavemeserveastheirtrialjudgeforallpurposes.Isthereapartofthejobyoufindmostinterest-ingIlikethediversityofthejob.Nodayiseverex-actlythesamebecauseofthemixofvariousre-sponsibilities.Youmightspendthemorningfi-nalizingahabeasreportandrecommendationandthenturntopreparingfortomorrowssettlementconferencebeforespendingtheafternoonhandlingthedutycalendar.Youspenttimeasbothafederalprosecutorandaprivatepractitionerbeforeyourappointmenttothebench.HowhasyourbackgroundservedyouasajudgeAsajudgewhohandlesbothcivilandcriminalcasesIhopethatmyexperienceasbothacivilandcriminallawyerservesmewell.IdofeelthatIdrawregularlyonmyownexperiencesasatriallawyerinseveraldifferentrespects.Forexamplebeingsomeonewhotriedcriminalcasesmayhelpmeassessthemeritsofahabeasclaimwheretheissuemaybewhetheraparticularlegalerrorisprejudicial.Ifeelthatmyexperiencetryingcaseshelpsmeseparatethewheatfromthechaffalittlebetter.Asforspecificsasignificantpartofwhatmagis-tratejudgesdointhisdistrictisratherlikeappel-lateworktheSocialSecuritydisabilityappealsandthehabeascasesinparticular.IfeelfortunatethatasanAUSAIalwaysenjoyedhandlingmyownappealsandeventookonextraappellateas-signmentsthroughoutmycareer.WhathasbeenthebiggestchallengeadjustingtolifeasajudgeEvenaftermorethanayearIstillamlearninghowtousethelawyerswhoworkforme.AsanAUSAmostofthetimeyouareactingasaone-lawyershowandyoudoitallfactinvestigationresearchingwritingediting.Youareitandforthemostpartthereisntsomeoneelsetowhomyoucandelegate.NowasamagistratejudgeIhavelawclerksandstaffattorneyswhoareveryableandgoodatwhattheydo.Irelyonthemtonotonlydolegalre-searchbutalsotomasterwhatinsomeinstancesisavoluminousfactualrecord.Butithasbeenanadjustmenttolearnhowtogiveupsomeoftheresearchanddraftingtasksasopposedtodoingthemmyself.WhathasbeenthehighlightofyourlegalcareersofarMostofmytimeasanAssistantUnitedStatesAt-torneywasonebighighlight.Icantsayenoughaboutwhatawonderfulopportunitythatjobwas.WhatwasyourfavoritepartofbeinganAUSAIamahugeadvocateoftheU.S.AttorneysOfficeasaboosterrocketforalawyerscareerdevelop-ment.Formeitwasagreatbalanceoftrialadvo-cacyandothersubstantivework.AboutsixmonthsafterIstartedintheofficeIwastryingabankrobberytrialbymyselfinfrontofJudgeCarter.SixmonthsafterthatIwasco-tryingacomplexwhite-collartrial.Iwasabletoworkonallaspectsofthesecasesfrompre-trialmotionstotryingthecaseinfrontofajurytoarguingappealsinfrontoftheNinthCircuit.Ithinkitsdifficulttogetthosesamekindsofopportunitiesasanas-sociateinprivatepractice.ContinuedonPage18