Just hours before Timothy Volkmann was set to retire from his nearly 16-year stint as a Santa Cruz judge, his passion for jury trials was still burning brightly.
Judge Syda Cogliati has been elected by the bench to serve as the presiding judge and Judge Jerry Vinluan has been elected to serve as assistant presiding judge.
"It is not lost on me for one second that had I stayed back in Iran, I wouldn't even have the right to think about becoming a judge," Judge Leila Sayar said.