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Wanted: Court commissioner

Sonoma County Superior Court has just closed its application period for the position of court commissioner. Commissioners are like regular judges but they are appointed by local judges instead of the governor. They must have been lawyers for at least 10 years and they are paid an annual salary of [...]

By | August 13th, 2014|0 Comments

Sonoma court: A tale of two lines

Atticus Finch called our court system "the great leveler" where everyone is treated equally. But anyone who has waited in line outside Sonoma County's Hall of Justice knows that isn't true. According to a sign outside the south entrance to the building, there are two distinct classes of visitors -- and they each have [...]

By | May 14th, 2014|0 Comments

Day of reckoning nears for county supervisor

 Jury selection will begin Monday in Sonoma County Supervisor Efren Carrillo's misdemeanor peeking trial and witness testimony should start mid-week, a judge said Wednesday. The schedule was set as both sides in Carrillo's much-publicized criminal case announced they could not reach a settlement and were prepared to try the matter [...]

By | April 16th, 2014|0 Comments

Two candidate forums coming in April in Sonoma DA’s race

Sonoma County’s district attorney and her June 3 election challenger will square off in two public forums in April. The first joint appearance of incumbent Jill Ravitch and deputy prosecutor Victoria Shanahan is noon on April 18 at Santa Rosa's Fountaingrove Inn. The event, which includes lunch, is sponsored by Sonoma County [...]

By | March 25th, 2014|0 Comments

Confrontation with embattled mall security guards leads to lawsuit

Santa Rosa Plaza mall cops are under fire these days for the treatment of grieving family members who were ordered to remove “RIP” T-shirts bearing the image of a 13-year-old son killed by a sheriff’s deputy. But the dust-up involving family and friends of eighth-grader Andy Lopez, who was shot [...]

By | March 7th, 2014|0 Comments

Entrepreneurial spirit lures lawyers from public-sector jobs

Bisbiglia is fourth deputy public defender to go into private practice

By | February 25th, 2014|0 Comments

1st Graton casino robbery a blow to retired veteran

Dennis Shelley took his share of punches many years ago as a college boxer but the hardest blow he ever felt came Christmas Eve in the parking lot of Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park. The 68-year-old American Canyon man walked out to his car around sunrise after a [...]

By | February 20th, 2014|0 Comments

Judge: deputy in Lopez shooting not relevant in other gun case

It was a typical assault rifle case with little defense other than pure ignorance. Prosecutors charged former Santa Rosa resident Alan MacFarlane with felony possession of a tactical-style weapon after police entered his home during a neighborhood dispute and found banned gun parts scattered about. MacFarlane, a 60-year-old disabled veteran, was planning [...]

By | January 27th, 2014|0 Comments

Shoplifter lawsuit highlights retail dilemma

Sometimes it's better to just let things go. That could be the mantra for overprotective retail clerks and loss-prevention agents everywhere following a lawsuit in Santa Rosa civil court by a would-be shoplifter who was badly injured when he was tackled by a grocery store manager. The clash happened July 13, 2011 when plaintiff Johnny [...]

By | January 22nd, 2014|0 Comments

Guerneville strangler questions restitution as he starts life prison sentence

Convicted killer Andrew Sharkey calls order to repay victims "moot"; the 38-year-old will be behind bars at least until he's 70

By | March 12th, 2012|0 Comments