Deputy DA Jessica Watson could not win against pro per Jorden Sterling and she wants to be a Humboldt Superior Court judge?

The biggest disappointment last week and one of the biggest failures in 12 plus of years goes to the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office from last week. I have put off updating Jorden Sterling's cases because I have been busy and already wasted enough time on all his cases. More time is wasted on the many Humboldt cases which I follow for months and years and they end up with defense requesting mental health diversion and often at the last minute.

Deputy DA Jessica Watson applied for the  vacancy in Humboldt Superior Court created when Judge Joyce Hinrichs retired. She couldn't even successfully prosecute against a pro per incompetent who had one of his numerous filings rejected and dismissed because Jorden Sterling did not even enter the correct name of the court he is suing. He should know this basic fact after all the cases he has in Humboldt Superior Court and has filed against Humboldt Superior Court. The civil cases were filed under Jorden Place because these were filed after his petition for a name change was granted.

The first mistake by the DA was dismissing the case against Melissa Sterling, Jorden's mom. She was represented by Ms. Andrea Sullivan who obviously looked at the case and showed the DA the reality.

Then putting Melissa Sterling on the stand. That wasn't disastrous enough. After a 11 guilty to 1 not guilty mistrial in another Jorden Sterling criminal case, the DA's office caved in and gave Jorden diversion in 3 or his criminal cases. The Humboldt County DAs office will retry criminal cases two or three times but gives in to Jorden and cannot try a case again where 11 jurors were for guilt.

Will the DA lose the 4th criminal case against Jorden? After last week, I have to ask that question. I do not recall any prosecutor losing a criminal case to a pro per defendant.

I heard Jorden now has custody of his daughter so I don't need to check his family law case. Nor do I need to waste time following up on the civil case against his ex . Before last week, I wouldn't even be considering that Jorden and his boo Courtney Zanone could prevail or settle their civil lawsuits against the Humboldt County DA, HCSO and Humboldt Superior Court. He will refile the case against Humboldt Superior Court because the order states why it was dismissed. 

To the juror who held out, I have never called out a juror before but due to people and not getting paid, boomers and older jurors being excused and Humboldtia, jury pools offer slim pickings. People lie, jury selection is rushed and in Ray Christie's case as well as Steve Boudreaux's case, there has been a juror who refused to follow the law. In Boudreaux's case, the juror refused to follow the law.

I don't know whether jurors in Sterling's case spoke about their decision because I saw the verdict being read but was checking on other cases including a preliminary hearing of more interest to me and the readers. 

I don't give a damn about the juror's reason. That juror has emboldened Jorden and Courtney who have tried to intimidate my coverage, brought it up to the judge during this case. Their behavior will only escalate. I have seen the way they talk to Courthouse security and the clerks. 11 jurors thought he was guilty so the case was not weak.

Jorden complaining about juror #4 rolling her eyes and recognizing his wife. So is Courtney your fiance or your wife Jordo? You list her differently in different court documents. 

Your wife/fiance whoever she is and her constant mouthing and rolling her eyes at me and acting out on the second floor and the Courthouse and complete lack of self control is what you need to address first before bringing up your claims of alleged juror behavior in the courtroom. That juror was questioned and readers can look at the court minutes.

There is one more open criminal case against Jorden. It is supposed to go to trial. The DA needs to check the strength of the case, get a different prosecutor, better not resolve it for diversion and win this one if the office claims to be for public safety. 

Jorden's family law case is what he is pissed about and it is evident in his filings of the civil lawsuits. I read some of the texts attached by Jorden in his civil lawsuit with his ex.

Due to the utter incompetence of the Humboldt County DA and one useless juror, the rest of us have to now endure more obnoxious behavior and harassment.

The taxpayers are paying for transcripts and fee waivers. There are fee waivers listed in the one civil lawsuit filed by Courtney and I saw a fee waiver listed in one of Jorden's civil lawsuits.

So Jordo and Courtney, if you win the money in your civil lawsuits, will you reimburse the taxpayers, the County and courts?

8/14 CR2601548A Jorden Sterlin

PC 278.5 (a)

all motions vacated

diversion granted

2/11/27 diversion review hearing

CR2602497 Jorden Sterling

Closing arguments on 8/13, CHP case, jurors in courtroom 4:12, mistrial hung jury 11 guilty to 1 not guilty.

CR2502755B Jorden Sterling

motion to compel discovery + motion to dismiss,, this case was trailing CR2602497

Readiness Conference on 8/26, jury trial on 8/31.

CR2401780 was trailing 2602497

diversion granted

Conditions of diversion:

Civil lawsuit against Humboldt Superior Court dismissed:

In a previous post, I have the order why it was dismissed so Jordo shouldn't get over confident because 1 juror caused a mistrial in one case.

What does the County of Humboldt do when they lose repeatedly? Double down

 

I reported on this lawsuit first and for months before, as usual, certain other media did some random coverage. I provided screenshots of all my coverage to make an obvious point. Each of my posts has chronological and minor updates.

What does the County of Humboldt do when they lose repeatedly? Double down. Humboldt Deputy County Counsel Joel Campbell-Blair must have motion to dismiss and demurrer on a template so he can make minor edits to the numerous lawsuits against the County.

Humboldt Superior Court Assistant Presiding Judge Timothy Canning took the County's demurrer under submission.

Clerical error leads to non appearance by parties in Humboldt Superior Court case

 

Clerical error leads to non appearance by parties in Humboldt Superior Court case.

The reason for this post is because the civil clerk's department has the highest turnover and it has been the worst in the last year. I already wrote about the clerk who did these minutes taking a pay cut from an assistant supervisor position to return to the courts. Gina's return is good for the courts because she is experienced and civil minutes get done the same day. Bad for the public. Zach, another civil clerk who was excellent left. For a good reason, I heard to go to law school. 

The civil clerks that are left are overwhelmed. Errors will happen. There will be a backlog.

The Humboldt judges need to stop allowing certain pro per vexatious litigants to clog the system with gazillion lawsuits. I just wrote about one recently that was dismissed because of the error of a pro per litigant who couldn't even get the court's name correct. That person will just refile. 

If you read my blog regularly, you should be familiar with certain names. The current supervisor AJ needs to do less trainings, whatever those are and fix the department she is in charge first.

The civil department affects attorneys, their paralegals and people with valid cases. The online portal is up and running. I was told that soon attorneys and litigants will be able to get a token which allows them more access than what is visible to the media. E filing for civil cases has been talked about and with the online portal up and running, it is closer to reality. All this positive work by Humboldt Superior Court Operations Manager Kelly Nyberg and Assistant Operations Manager Scott Anderson gets overshadowed by the short staffing and issues caused by the very same people who cause me stress and frustration and impede my work.

These people often have criminal, civil and family law cases that are the underlying issue. They have never faced consequences, have enabling families, plenty of time to waste and are drama.

There are tools available to Humboldt Superior Court judges. 

Media, attorneys and people with valid claims follow the local rules. It is time to stop coddling people who need to grow up and face consequences instead of turning Humboldt into the temu daily reality show.

Jane Doe's childhood abuse lawsuit against Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District to proceed to trial

 

In February, I reported on this lawsuit filed by Jane Doe vs Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District et al. That was the first hearing in this case.

Jane Doe is now 22.  According  to the lawsuit,  she was "approximately (7) to (8) years old" and the sexual assaults and abuse took place during the 2009-2010 school year. Jane Doe was enrolled at Hoopa Elementary. Joseph Saint Orozco was employed at Hoopa Elementary and is Jane Doe's abuser. 

The lawsuit was filed on August 15, 2025. Jane Doe is represented by Mr. James Warren Lewis, partner at Slater Slater Schulman LLP which is in Beverly Hills.

Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District's attorney is listed as Mr. Brian Duus, attorney at Leone Alberts & Duus APC located in Concord.

Convicted molestor Orozco still has no attorney. 

If I recall the court minutes for the last hearing, Orozco was not present. On 8/10/26, there is trial setting scheduled for 10/19/26.

If you want more details and to read court documents, read the previous post.

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/02/jane-doe-sues-convicted-molestor-joseph.html?m=1

Court coverage is time consuming. To be in the courtroom and cover 40 cases a day for 12 plus years costs me financially. Only in the last month, have I cut back on in person coverage. It isn't necessary for mostly minor update and continuances for months. I still spend time daily on court records and I still get scoops and exclusives. After 12 plus years, people's interests have evolved, I cover a lot more than courts and I cover cases that take on the good ole boys and gals, including this one, where there is risk. I do this despite 12 plus years of no investment by Humboldt for my work.

Other local media has been MIA for years until recently in the courts. To ask for money to cover courts after a few months and some random coverage weeks after I have reported on cases takes gall.

Most of Humboldt is not going to pay. Humboldt has always been cheap; especially those with the money and monopoly. 

There are still people who email me despite the online portal, despite years of opportunity to contribute and use one of the options for convenience. I no longer respond to such inquiries. I will continue to cover what I do for my loyal readers and the lawyers who make a very frustrating task and especially cases where attorneys stand up for vulnerable victims.

My time is now spent working with people who support me and fund me. That is how any business works. Those who support me do not contact me when they need something nor do they ask for anything. 

Dan Dobbs arrested by HCSO on drug charges

 

Another day and the Humboldt jail log is full of repeat offenders. I saw a name that will be familiar to anyone who has been in Humboldt for more than a decade and definitely known to law enforcement and Southern Humboldt.

Daniel Craig Dobbs was arrested by HCSO yesterday evening for HS 11364(a) possession of drug paraphernalia and HS 11350 (a) possession of a controlled substance. He was released on O.R.

These are just some of the posts I did on Dan in 2016.

Dano does not look like his previous booking photos. He has a beard now.

Remember this 2014 press release from Ferndale Police Department.

"On August 24, 2014 at approximately 1:30 pm, Ferndale police officers responded to the Gingerbread Mansion Bed and Breakfast, 400 Berding Street, regarding a suspicious male acting strangely.  Upon the officer’s arrival at the Gingerbread Mansion, the Ferndale police Officer contacted Dan Craig Dobbs, 40 years old, Garberville, CA, outside the establishment on the porch.

Dobbs claimed he was a past guest of the Gingerbread Mansion and wanted to rent a room. Dobbs said he entered the bed and breakfast and walked to the third floor in order to look at a room he wanted to rent. Dobbs claimed he had “only” had a sip of wine from a wine bottle located next to the establishment’s guest registration log book, on the first floor. 

The officer spoke with management and learned Dobbs had actually walked upstairs, entered two separate private hotel rooms.  While Dobbs was inside the first private unoccupied hotel room, he stole a bottle of wine from the room and exited the room.  Dobbs then immediately walked into another unoccupied private hotel room and opened the sealed bottle of wine.  Dobbs exited the second room, walked to the first floor, retrieved a wine glass and returned to the second private hotel room.  While inside the hotel room, he began drinking the wine.  The wine was valued at approximately 40-50 dollars. 

Furthermore, Dobbs claimed to be the owner of the establishment to management and staff.  At some point, Dobbs walked into the kitchen area, and without permission, began opening and looking through kitchen drawers and cabinets along with the refrigerator and freezer. During Dobbs’ visit, he walked into one of the rooms reserved for staff and began pointing at things within the room and claimed they were stolen from him.

After the officer conducted a full investigation, Dobbs was arrested for burglary.  Ultimately Dobbs was transported to the Humboldt County Jail where he was booked for burglary. "

10 years later, Marci Kitchen's name resurfaces in a PRA request from Las Vegas

You can read the entire request from EWU Media LLC at:

https://humboldtgov.nextrequest.com/requests/26-1215

Jack Rawson waives probable cause hearing in money laundering case

 

If you have not read prior coverage, check the October 9 post for the charges and updates on the criminal case for Jack Rawson as well as the4 civil cases which includes Jack and Julia Rawson suing the People and vice-versa. The Rawsons are represented in the civil cases by  Ms. Shelley Addison. At the last hearing on the civil case, the lawsuits were continued until the criminal case concludes.

Jack Rawson has retained Gregory Kreis for the criminal case. On 8/14/26,  Rawson waived his right to a preliminary hearing in the 2025 case. When a defendant does that, that means the person is held to answer as charged in the complaint without a probable cause hearing.

The criminal case proceeds to the next step which is being arraigned on charges for a jury trial. Arraignment on information is on 8/28/26. 

Humboldt County sex church abuse case continued due to pending federal case

 

If you want more details on the lawsuit and are not a regular, daily  reader, read the previous post.

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/02/member-of-humboldt-county-church-which.html?m=1

There was a case management on 

8/10/26 in S.B. A vs Doe 1 Diocese. 

No one showed up from the Diocese. Mr. Osvaldo Rocha represents S.B.A. Due to the pending federal case, Mr. Rocha requested a six month continuance. Another CMC is scheduled for 2/8/27.

Thanks to Gina, who took a pay cut as a supervisor in the civil clerk's department and is back as the experienced courtroom clerk she is, for the first time, court minutes were available on the same day in this civil case.

For years, settlement discussions, endless continuances for the same reason in this human trafficking case

 

Nicholas Machado aka "KGB" and Uonan Uonan aka "Chicago John" 2024 human trafficking case as an example of why I and readers have lost interest in Humboldt court cases. Nothing happens. The backlog gets worse. As you will see when I finally do an update on Jorden Sterling's case, the Humboldt criminal justice system is a joke. And this includes most parties, the Humboldt County DA, the public defenders, CWS, some weak cases from certain law enforcement. I have called out judges and admin plenty and for this post, I will not because this is the DA and the defense attorneys. Humboldt Superior Court Presiding Judge Kelly Neel is one of the few who does negotiate plea deals. More cases  should be resolved quickly and for that the DA, alleged victims, the public defenders and their unrealistic clients all need to come off their high horse. With exceptions, competent private, defense attorneys do not drag on cases, watch out for their clients and resolve cases. 

The only exception and the only agency I have faith in anymore is Eureka Police Department.

This case has dragged on for years now. Read through previous posts. I have been hearing about settlement discussions for years even before Deputy DA Ian Harris went on leave because it did not for years.

From what I understand about why Mr. Harris is on leave, nothing was preventing him from input on certain cases like this one remotely or another Deputy DA should have been given the authority to resolve the case.

Once again, local attorney Ben Okin made a special appearance for Uonan's attorney Mark Reichel.

On 8/13/26, instead of a preliminary hearing, it was stated assigned counsel would be returning soon which would be Mr. Harris. Deputy DA Trent Timm appeared on the case. Machado's attorney is Deputy Public Defender Casey Russo and assigned counsel returning soon which would be Deputy DA Ian Harris who has been out of the office for months due to medical reasons. Once again, the case was 

continued to 10/1 by defense. Not a surprise. It is mostly the defense for these endless continuances. Mr. Timm indicated negotiated disposition forthcoming.

I like to follow each hearing and provide a chronological update for my readers. That has become cumbersome and frustrating due to the many reasons caused by Humboldt Superior Court that I have mentioned many times.

Just checking on a daily log of court cases and endless continuances is not what I should be doing after 12 plus years and my knowledge of the system. With the online portal, people can check dates and basics. 

Like the parties in the criminal justice system, the other local media is free to show up for endless continuances. They get paid to do nothing and report on the SSDD. I don't and I don't like wasting my time on a daily log of non consequential shuffling of dates.

My readers deserve better and there is plenty of other local, regional, national content than reading, continued again and for the same reason.

Anyone with common sense has to wonder about the retirement of an animal control officer mentioned in a statement by Shannon Miranda in the midst of an ongoing investigation

 

On the August 18, 2026 Humboldt County Board of Supervisors agenda is an item of the retirement of Animal Control Officer Robert "Rob" Patton.

As far as I know, I have not interacted with Officer Patton. I am familiar with some other employees who work for the County. Prior to working for the County, Officer Patton worked for Eureka Police Department. 

People retire all the time. As an investigative reporter as well as someone who for 22 years has lived in Humboldt County, active in politics before I started doing local reporting, I am familiar how Humboldt County operates.

I have reported on several people on this blog who then retire and some move on to other positions. Anyone with common sense has to wonder about the retirement of an animal control officer mentioned in a statement by Shannon Miranda in the midst of an ongoing Miranda's Rescue investigation.

In this July 31, 2026, I ran a statement issued by Shannon Miranda before anyone else.

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/07/exclusive-media-coverage-social-media.html?m=1

This is the part of the statement that applies to Rob Patton.

"Whenever I have had to euthanize an animal, I have contacted Rob Patton, the manager of the local animal control office (part of the Sheriff's Office), beforehand to advise them of the situation. Even when 1 was told that such notification wasn't required, I continued to do so because I believe it's important to maintain a record of these actions. Rob Patton has also inspected Miranda's Rescue numerous times over the years."

I have asked Shannon for texts and any documentation to back those claims more than once. HCSO seized his electronics and communication devices. All those in the peanut gallery commenting online are free to put in PRAs and actual work to get answers. That is if you are interested in the truth and transparency and not selective, performative outrage and kowtowing to the good ole boys and gals of Humboldt County.

Dewey Sregon-George Jones arrested for statutory rape and annoying or molesting a child

19 year old Dewey Sregon-George Jones Jr was arrested by Fortuna Police Department yesterday for PC 261.5(C) statutory rape and PC 647.6(a)(1) annoying or molesting a child . He posted bond.

Just found a post I did in 2018 about dead dog & Miranda's Rescue; aĺso Humboldt Area Foundation gave a grant to Miranda's Rescue in June 2026 which is after the first time HCSO was on the property in April and May 2026

Until a few minutes ago, I had no intention on doing anything on Shannon Miranda or Miranda's Rescue. I am waiting for an update from Humboldt County Sheriff's Office or any other law enforcement agency. The Humboldt County District Attorney's Office has not received anything as of yesterday.

I received this email. I want to thank this person for the links provided and their opinion. Readers can come to their own conclusions.

I cropped the identity. I was able to verify the DOJ information easily. The Franchise Tax Board site is cumbersome, not user friendly and the revoked exemption list will not load or open for me but readers are free to access and verify what the tipster provided.

As I was looking on other ways to verify the Franchise Tax Board information, I came across the information below which is from Pro Publica and Cause IQ. Readers have google, internet access and can make effort to look up information themselves.

Did you know that Miranda's Rescue received a grant on June 20, 2026 from the Humboldt Area Foundation? 

Humboldt Area Foundation gave Miranda's Rescue money after both search warrants by HCSO in April and May 2026.

The first time HCSO was on Shannon Miranda's property for this recent investigation was in April 2026.

You didn't see this reported on Lost Coast Outpost? Or Redheaded Blackbelt or North Coast Journal or Times Standard or San Francisco Chronicle?

Selective reporting and selective people targeted such as Ms. Alison Jackson for simply providing consulting to Shannon. I have been doxxed, harassed, outed for doing my job and providing balanced reporting in the reality show that is the Miranda's Rescue investigation. Long time businesses such Double D Steak in Fortuna targeted but HAF gets a pass?

Typical Humboldt County double standards. 

Also, I did this post about a dead dog and HCSO responding to Miranda's Rescue in 2018. I don't recall anyone else reporting on it and I spoke with Shannon at that time.

I have always reached out to Shannon to get his side of the story. In 2018  and in 2026. I was the first person to call Shannon to see if he had any comment in April 2026, I spoke with Jennifer Raymond before Shannon and confirmed with HCSO before doing that first post on the 2026 Miranda's Rescue investigation.

The 2018 post debunks the claim by the anti Miranda Rescue mob of claims that HCSO never responded to their complaints.