News
Judges and Judiciary
Feb. 15, 2002
Bar Group Rates Two Candidates 'Not Qualified'
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County Bar Association has rated "Not Qualified" two of 21 candidates competing for Superior Court judgeships in the March 5 primary.
Sole practitioners Ross A. Stucker of Santa Clarita and Thomas H. Warden of Encino were given the association's lowest rating by a 32-member evaluation committee.
In a report released to the public Thursday, the committee explained its rating of the two men, saying that neither possesses "the depth of professional experience indicative of fitness or superior fitness to perform the judicial function with a high degree of skill and effectiveness."
In addition, the report stated that, with regard to Warden, the committee members had "questions pertaining to his integrity and character."
Warden said Thursday that the rating, which he believes was the result of a judgment against his former law firm, is unfair.
"I do not feel it was justified," he said. "They did not make the rating based on my actual abilities as an attorney."
Stucker could not be reached for comment.
Stucker is competing against incumbent Judge Floyd V. Baxter, who sits in Newhall. Stucker had been a temporary commissioner in that courthouse but was replaced while Baxter was the supervising judge of the court. Neither man has commented on the circumstances surrounding Stucker's replacement.
Baxter received a "Well Qualified" rating, the highest possible.
Warden is competing against Workers' Compensation Appeals Board Judge John C. Gutierrez, who received a "Qualified" rating, and prosecutor Richard F. Walmark, who was rated "Well Qualified," for a seat being vacated by Judge Reginald Dunn.
Prosecutor Lauren Weis, who is running against three candidates for the seat of retiring Judge Michael A. Kanner, was successful in improving her rating from "Qualified" to "Well Qualified" after an appeal. Weis said she believes the initial rating was the result of negative comments about her by some co-workers. She added that it was difficult for her to refute the claims because the committee will not disclose who made the comments or their specific nature.
"They protect anonymity, and I understand the need for that," she said. "But it puts the candidate in a position of only being able to give a general denial because you know no details or specifics."
To counter the negative comments, Weis said, she presented committee members with a "stack" of letters from co-workers and judges attesting to her character and her work.
Competing against Weis for the seat are Covina sole practitioner H. Don Christian, who received a "Well Qualified" rating, and Los Angeles attorney Robert Harrison and Baldwin Park sole practitioner Richard A. Espinoza, each of whom received "Qualified" ratings.
In the race for retiring Judge Michael Pirosh's seat, Santa Monica elder law attorney Joseph "Joe" Deering and prosecutor Hank Goldberg received "Well Qualified" ratings. Van Nuys Workers' Compensation Appeals Board Judge Donald Renetzky received a "Qualified" rating.
In the race for the seat of retiring Judge Richard E. Spann, Acton law school owner Larry H. Layton and prosecutors Richard E. Naranjo and Craig Renetzky all received "Qualified" ratings. Craig Renetzky is the son of Donald Renetzky.
Of the candidates competing for the seat of retiring Judge David B. Finkel, prosecutor David Gelfound and Pasadena attorney David Crawford III received "Qualified" ratings, while State Bar Court Judge Paul A. Bacigalupo and Commissioner Steven Lubell were rated "Well Qualified."
Last, incumbent C. Robert Simpson was rated "Well Qualified," while his challenger, Glendale attorney Kenneth E. Wright, was rated "Qualified."
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Erin Carroll
Daily Journal Staff Writer
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