One would be hard-pressed to find a judge with a better reputation for the upcoming Sheriff Carona case than U.S. District Judge Andrew Guilford, who will likely preside over the trial expected to begin next year.
That’s what many lawyers are saying around Orange County legal circles this week.
Here’s one sentiment:
“Judge Guilford is a down-the-middle judge. He will not be impressed by anything but the evidence.”
So says prominent defense attorney Al Stokke.
Stokke is the Orange County lawyer who gets many of the famous outside cases that hit in Orange County courts.
For example, Stokke was the local guy hired to shepherd the speeding and illegal prescription narcotics case against former vice president Al Gore’s kid, Albert Arnold Gore III, who pleaded guilty this summer to unlawful possession of prescription drugs and marijuana and was allowed to enter a drug diversion program.
Stokke also was the attorney hired to navigate the OC courts in rapper Snoop Dogg’s possession of an illegal weapon case. Dogg pleaded guilty, and was allowed to do community service.
Guilford, a lifelong Republican, was appointed to the federal bench by President George W. Bush. He was a big-time civil lawyer in OC who unsuccessfully argued on behalf of Anaheim to stop Angel’s owner Arte Moreno from renaming the team, “Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.” And Guilford is a former president of the Orange County Bar Association.

–Larry Welborn

Posted in: Courts • Miscellaneous |

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