Judge James Chalfant won’t hear cases from bench until mask mandate lifts

At least one judge in Los Angeles County is refusing to take the bench because of the court's mask mandate.

Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant conducted a hearing in litigation between Dentons LLP and a fired partner remotely from a room next to his courtroom on Tuesday. His staff and lawyers were in the courtroom along with some members of the public -- all masked as required by Presiding Judge Eric C. Taylor.

Chalfant could be heard talking from the next room and also through the video conferencing system.

A member of the judge's staff said after the hearing that Chalfant gets tired from wearing a mask and that face coverings make it harder to hear what's being said and to speak clearly. Through his staff, the judge declined an interview.

The Superior Court's media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment and it is unclear if other judges have refused to take the bench because of the mask mandate.

Chalfant has waded into the debate over COVID-19 mitigation procedures before.

In August 2020, he denied Los Angeles County's request to prevent the 7,000-member Grace Community Church from holding indoor services, an order the 2nd District Court of Appeal later reversed.

Chalfant also lifted Los Angeles County's indefinite ban on outdoor dining in December. He said the government and media are "generating fear" and thriving on it, agreeing with the California Restaurant Association's argument that the county failed to provide data supporting the ban.

Chalfant heard several cases Tuesday. One involved a lawsuit between Dentons and Jinshu "John" Zhang, who asserts he was fired after reporting that Dentons CEO Mike McNamara forged documents in an attempt to steal tens of millions of dollars in client funds. McNamara has stepped down as CEO. Chalfant heard arguments about whether the case should be sent to arbitration.

Paul Murphy from Murphy Rosen LLP, who is representing Zhang, said though he prefers to argue cases in person, he prefers the teleconference method for similar reasons to Chalfant.

"I hate masks," Murphy said. Face coverings make it hard to read emotions and speak, he said.