Judges and Judiciary
Jun. 25, 2002
Judges Tap Public Defender for Commissioner
LOS ANGELES - Deputy Federal Public Defender Richard Novak was elected commissioner of the Los Angeles Superior Court Friday. Novak was in a runoff for the spot with Los Angeles County Court Referee Guillermina Byrne. The candidates are selected by Los Angeles Superior Court judges.
Novak was in a runoff for the spot with Los Angeles County Court Referee Guillermina Byrne. The candidates are selected by Los Angeles Superior Court judges.
Novak was notified Friday of his selection by Assistant Presiding Judge Robert A. Dukes, a court spokeswoman said.
"I'm very excited," Novak said. "It's a big transition to go from being an advocate to a bench officer."
Novak was admitted to the bar in December 1990. He did his undergraduate work at the University of California, Berkeley, and received his law degree from UCLA School of Law.
As a federal public defender, he said, he handled several types of criminal cases, including fraud, large-scale narcotics, securities crimes and kidnappings. In his "spare time," he sat as a Juvenile Court referee.
"I've made a lot of really good friends, and I'll miss them," Novak said. "I will be participating in the court system from another angle, another perspective, so I'm not sure if it's going to be that big of change."
The new job, he believes, will involve a little less hair pulling.
"Being a federal public defender can be a very stressful thing," he said. "Our clients face very serious sentences. So it will be less stressful in that sense."
Novak said he starts in July, but he is unsure where he will be assigned.
In May, Los Angeles Superior Court Referee Jane Godfrey and Santa Monica attorney Michael I. Levanas were elected commissioners.
Godfrey, who was sworn in May 31, sits in Division 111 at the Van Nuys courthouse, according to a court spokeswoman.
Levanas, who was sworn in June 17, is working in the Metro Traffic courthouse in downtown Los Angeles.
This past week, he sat in and observed proceedings at the courthouse.
"I'm the rookie," Levanas said. "I'm just happy to learn the craft to be a judge. It's fun."
Leslie Simmons
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