"Are you back from the AA yet?" and Castaway on court livestream

Two Judges were in a good mood today. I doubt it was the coffee or the addition of the third courtroom. I only saw these two Judges on livestream.

The banter between Judge Christopher Wilson and Mr. Paul Gallegos was lighthearted. While waiting for some information from the bailiff, Mr. Gallegos said, "Is that a ball on your desk or a speaker?"

Judge Wilson quipped, "Yes it is our Wilson." 

Mr. Gallegos responded, "We have one of those too." And then made a joke about "without any blood prints."

Judge Gregory Elvine-Kreis didn't look stressed today. For quite some time in the last year, he did. He was cranky and stern in court, as recently as a few days ago. It was hard to tell from the livestream view but it seems Judge Elvine-Kreis is now sporting a bald look.

The second exchange may have been amusing to Judge Elvine-Kreis but it wasn't to the defendants and others waiting for trial assignment which took almost three hours. If Judge Elvine-Kreis wants to joke around with Public Defenders, maybe he could go on another boat outing with them.

Deputy Public Defender Adrian Kamada often needs to be called out repeatedly to get his attention to appear in court via Zoom. Today, after trying to get his attention at least three times, finally one of his colleagues had to alert him.

"Are you back from the AA yet?" joked Judge Elvine-Kreis. Later on, addressing Mr. Kamada again, Judge Elvine-Kreis said something like "There cannot be too many bald heads in this room" or "There can only be only so many bald heads in this room."

While Mr. Kamada wasn't paying attention, this was delaying other cases being called. Judge Elvine-Kreis could use some patience and humor on a regular basis when he is sitting there in judgement and meting out rulings affecting people on a daily basis. Not everyone has the luxury and privilege of a $200,000 plus salary paid by the taxpayers during a pandemic.

Unlike Judge Wilson and Mr. Gallegos' banter which was funny, I found Judge Elvine-Kreis' remarks in poor taste given that there is currently a lawsuit in which former Deputy Rory Kalin has alleged the Judge was drunk, paling around with public defenders and allegedly yelling antisemitic slurs.

Maybe Judge Elvine-Kreis has some good news about the lawsuit Kalin filed against him or maybe the investigation by the CA Commission on Judicial Performance is over? 

Google the California Judicial Council, the CA Commission on Judicial Performance and California Superior courts and read about the reviews, audits concerns, investigative coverage and their track record.

Here are just a few links:

https://iaals.du.edu/blog/investigation-california-commission-judicial-performance-both-hits-and-misses-mark

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.courthousenews.com/california-auditor-blasts-court-bureaucracy-over-120m-in-unreported-payments/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/abc7news.com/amp/naacp-california-judicial-council-racist-photos/2207223/