I was a deputy prosecuting attorney in Yakima County for 19 years. The last years were spent as an attorney and supervising attorney for the prosecutor in Yakima County Juvenile Court. I handled everything from shoplifting cases to murder. As the supervisor, my caseload involved major felonies only.
Juvenile Court
The goal in Juvenile Court should be rehabilitation. Juvenile Court provides more latitude, creativity and discretion in sentencing and case resolution. As both a former defense attorney and a prosecutor, I am experienced in criminal law and procedure, regularly appearing in trials, motions and sentencings involving juveniles. As a defense attorney I advocate for adolescents and teenagers to obtain the best result possible, which includes addressing environmental factors such as schooling, medical attention and home placement in the sentencing process. As a prosecutor, I weighed the safety of the community and the severity of the crime with the promise of rehabilitation and the potential to stop recidivism.