Sonoma County Superior Court
After a year on the bench, one of the things that still surprises Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Barbara T. Phelan is how hard it is to find the line between engaging with criminal defendants and becoming enmeshed in their troubles.
Part of the issue, she said, is she’s fully briefed on the kind of twists and turns life can throw at a person. Phelan grew up with a single mother in the inner city of Philadelphia, and s... (continued)