Dec 3, 2021
Kathryn speaks with Judge LaDoris Hazzard Cordell about how she made her way onto the bench and the decision behind writing her recent book. They also discuss some of the biggest responsibilities and challenges Judge Cordell has faced during her time on the bench, and she shares some of the hardest cases she has presided over. Judge Cordell also details how her experience as a Black queer woman has shaped her opinion on the justice system, and what she thinks is broken about our judicial system (and how it might be fixed).
Episode Resources
- Her Honor
- https://judgecordell.com/
-
https://abawtp.law.stanford.edu/exhibits/show/ladoris-h-cordell/biography
Episode Highlights - Why did Judge LaDoris Hazzard Cordell decide to go to law school? - 1:20
- Navigating the mind field. - 4:12
- The twists and turns of her career: How did she manage to be a judge? - 5:49
- What were the obstacles to writing the book? - 8:20
- Identifying specific issues in the system as a judge. - 12:53
- Balancing the legal standards that she’s imposing and her obligations in the profession with an ideal judge image. - 16:29
- Making the bench more diverse: How do we fix the system? - 20:18
- What can affect her decision to leave the seat knowing that it
will unlikely be replaced by somebody who looks like her? -
24:59
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