Inside the Robe

Description

Inside the Robe shines a bright spotlight into the hidden folds of the judging world. The old saw is that judges merely “follow the law.” Yet following the law can produce wildly different results depending upon each judge’s background, politics, and life experiences. Even the courthouse floor to which a case is assigned can mean the difference between prison and freedom.

From her perch behind the bench, Judge Mader witnesses a parade of drug addicts, gang members, mentally ill defendants, pricey private attorneys, jaded prosecutors, and true-believer public defenders. Never before has the judging profession been laid bare for all to see.

Judge Katherine Mader spent two decades as a judge in a criminal court, was the LAPD’s first inspector general, a prosecutor in two murder-for-hire trials, and a defense attorney who successfully argued to spare the life of the Hillside Strangler.