Judge Katherine Mader (Ret.)

In Part 59, Judge Mader offers insight into the impact of public outcry on sentencing decisions and details an assignment to a preliminary hearing in a particularly brutal case.

Judge Mader discusses the use of confidential informants in gang-related investigations and how judges may factor into the attorney-client relationship.

Part 57, Judge Mader outlines how empathy can be a useful tool in the courtroom. She also reflects on the often thankless role of the criminal defense attorney.

In Part 56, Judge Mader offers a story about judges undergoing sensitivity training and reflects on policing tactics that may challenge the pursuit of justice.

In Part 55, Judge Mader explains the complexities of electoral politics within the judiciary and the implications for defendants, attorneys, and judges.

In Part 54 of Inside the Robe, Judge Mader describes how a judge might weigh the circumstances of a crime which may carry a mandatory sentence under three strike provisions. She also explores how mentorship for new judges can help build confidence and develop their understanding of their responsibilities under the law. May 17 Yesterday, I described sentencing the “dog whisperer” to twenty-five years to life for his third strike. A few months ago, I also sentenced someone to life imprisonment for a Third Strike offense. These sentences are rare, and they stick out. The earlier defendant was convicted after a...