An unusual and intriguing example of a failure of interpersonal relations between a trial court judge and an appellate court in California recently captured the attention of reporters who cover the courts. In December 2006, a three-judge panel of California’s 3rd District Court of Appeal sternly criticized a trial judge for having said, on the record during a criminal sentencing proceeding, “You can’t offend the kangaroos up there in kangaroo court.”
The Court of Appeal responded to the remark with annoyance and dismay: “Reading a little between the lines, it appears that Judge [K. Peter] Saiers’s ‘kangaroo court’ remark was provoked by his frustration at not being able to dispose of a pending case in a way he thought sensible. It would appear that, in his eyes, this court was a naive, ivory-tower, obstructionist, oblivious to the real-world problems of trial courts faced with staggering caseloads. This view is not accurate.”
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information.
For questions call 1-877-256-2472 or contact us at [email protected]
