Judge Used Real Courtroom Cases To (Secretly) Audition For TV Judge Job; Quotes Yoda To Defendant

from the snarkiness-for-the-camera dept

Wed, Oct 13th 2010 2:04pm — Mike Masnick

THResq has the story of a judge in San Diego, DeAnn Salcido, who apparently was interested in getting into the, apparently quite profitable, business of being a TV judge. So she had her bailiff's husband secretly videotape her in court presiding over various cases. Later, a TV producer asked to videotape another day and did so. Of course, she didn't tell others in the courtroom on the first day of filming (on the second day some were notified, others apparently weren't), and the Commission on Judicial Performance is somewhat understandably concerned that Judge Salcido may have put on more of a "show" than she normally would have, and that could have impacted how she handled the matters in front of her.

The complaint and her responses are below, highlighting pages upon pages of snarky statements that she apparently made in the courtroom, many of which the Commission believes are inappropriate. Judge Salcido does admit that a few are inappropriate -- such as telling one repeat offender: "What this means is don't come back before the court on another case ... 'cause you will definitely be screwed and we don't offer Vaseline for that." In another case, she asked a defendant if he was "a gambling man," when someone who had violated probation wanted to avoid going to jail. In one case, she went "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," and told a defendant it sounded like he needed a lifeline, and asked him if he wanted to "poll the audience." Best of all? When a defendant told her he was "trying to show that I can do what I'm supposed to," she apparently went Yoda, and had the entire courtroom say aloud "Do or do not. There is no try." Her response to that was that it was a "teachable moments" that others could learn from.

Now, it's entirely possible, as she suggests, that this is more or less how she always acts, but the fact that it was a (somewhat secretive) "tryout" for a TV job, it certainly calls into question what her motives were at times.

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Filed Under: deann salcido, judge, tv judges, yoda

15 Comments

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Pickle Monger (profile), 13 Oct 2010 @ 1:59pm

Live and learn
"Her response to that was that it was a "teachable moments" that others could learn from."

Yes. Like say, other judges....
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- Dark Helmet (profile), 13 Oct 2010 @ 2:08pm
  
  Re: Live and learn
  Ugh, how about it. How does two days worth of appeals material sound to this dumb woman?
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Oct 2010 @ 2:18pm

This is why...
video cameras in the courtroom are not a good idea.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Oct 2010 @ 2:25pm

Certain people simply don't belong on the bench. "Judge Judy" is certainly one of them, and it looks like DeAnn Salcido may well be another. There is something called "judicial temperament", which people like them appear to be lacking.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Oct 2010 @ 2:58pm

hollywood actors now becoming judges
cant wait to see how th eusa turns out in say 30 years when you have bugs bunny presiding over the court
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Oct 2010 @ 3:02pm

why didn't they just call DARK HELMET to jury duty?
It's a very simple question that seeks a very obvious answer.
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dood, 13 Oct 2010 @ 3:19pm

wow
What a tard/
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RadialSkid (profile), 13 Oct 2010 @ 3:28pm

Most TV judges act like they need to be smacked around a few times. She'll fit right in.
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quickbrownfox, 13 Oct 2010 @ 4:41pm

Legal Parlance
In legal parlance, this is known as "raising the bar."
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Oct 2010 @ 4:44pm

Sounds like she'd be a boring Judge Judy knockoff. She should try something different, something unique. She's apparently familiar with Star Wars; how about a pop-culture reference schtick? I'd love to watch a court show and see the judge launch into the "Come Clean" ad from that episode of the Jetsons.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Oct 2010 @ 5:37pm

"cant wait to see how th eusa turns out in say 30 years when you have bugs bunny presiding over the court"

You can already watch the documentary, it's called "Idiocracy"
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netwrok, 13 Oct 2010 @ 7:20pm

...
What a minger this lady is...
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Oct 2010 @ 1:40am

Sure...Because having everyone repeat that nonsensical made-up proverb is going to change everything. Stupid cow.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Oct 2010 @ 7:01am

Did anyone get releases from the criminals. They have rights. They haven't been convicted yet and have the right to protest. I would sue the bitch. Judges in America suck and seem to make up the law according to what part of the country they are located in. You know California Law, DC Law, Oregon Law and the dreaded Texas Law. They all have their own interpretation. Kinda like religion.
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Judge Dredd, 14 Oct 2010 @ 7:52am

Judges...
TV "judges" are ridiulous. They are an affront to the legal system, the constitution and everything this country was based on.

Dispensing justice for amusement? This was done before... I believe it was called gladitorial games.

HAIL CAESER! HAIL CAESER!

Oops... I mean...

HAIL THE JUDGE! HAIL THE JUDGE!
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