Orange County (Santa Ana)
Career Highlights: Appointed 4th District Court of Appeal justice by Gov. Jerry Brown, Dec. 22, 2017; Orange County Superior Court judges, 2002-2018; partner, Pohlson, Moorhead & Goethals, 1990-2002; supervising and deputy district attorney, Orange County district attorney's office, 1985-90; associate, Robinson and Robinson, 1984-85; deputy district attorney, Orange County district attorney's office, 1978-84
Law School: Loyola Law School, 1977
Career Highlights: Appointed 4th District Court of Appeal justice by Gov. Jerry Brown, Dec. 22, 2017; Orange County Superior Court judges, 2002-2018; partner, Pohlson, Moorhead & Goethals, 1990-2002; supervising and deputy district attorney, Orange County district attorney's office, 1985-90; associate, Robinson and Robinson, 1984-85; deputy district attorney, Orange County district attorney's office, 1978-84
Law School: Loyola Law School, 1977
By Don J. DeBenedictis
Daily Journal Staff Writer
SANTA ANA - When Thomas M. Goethals teaches plea bargaining to new judges from around the state, he warns them not to expect to do absolute justice.
"What we deal with every day is relative justice," the Orange County Superior Court judge tells his students. Judges may wish to impose the perfect sentence for each defendant's crimes, but they will be constrained by statutes and circumstances,... (continued)
