Chief Judge Dolly Gee urges defense of judicial independence at Orange County bar event

NEWPORT BEACH -- The Orange County Federal Bar Association held its Annual Judges' Night on Thursday at the Renaissance Hotel in Newport Beach, drawing more than 20 federal judges and dozens of practitioners.

Immediate past-president Chase A. Scolnick of Keller Anderle Scolnick LLP opened the evening by thanking the chapter's members, sponsors, and board-- "a diverse group of attorneys from private practice, government service, and criminal defense." He recognized the judges who serve as mentors and advisors and praised the chapter's growth. "Together we continue our mission--to strengthen the federal legal system and the administration of justice by serving the needs of federal practitioners, the judiciary, and the public they serve," he said.

U.S. District Judge David O. Carter led the Pledge of Allegiance and administered the oath of office to the newly elected officers and directors for 2025-26.

Newly installed president Elizabeth M. Weldon of Haynes Boone LLP thanked Scolnick for his "wisdom, experience, and commitment," adding that he will continue to advise the board as immediate past president. She praised the organization's "warm, welcoming, civil, and productive" culture and credited firm sponsors "whose support enables us to host events like this." Weldon encouraged lawyers to get involved, noting that membership--not sponsorship--is the lifeblood of the FBA.

She highlighted quarterly judicial luncheons and bench-and-bar gatherings that foster connection between judges and practitioners. "Please join us and get involved," she said.

Weldon then introduced U.S. Magistrate Judge Autumn D. Spaeth, a past OCFBA president, to present the chapter's highest honor--the Judge Alicemarie H. Stotler Award. Spaeth described Judge Stotler as "a hardworking trailblazer" whose legacy continues to inspire.

This year's award was presented posthumously to Chief Bankruptcy Judge Theodor C. Albert, who died in May. Bankruptcy Judge Erithe A. Smith called him "as perfectly a judge as I could imagine--respected, kind, and wise." Accepting on behalf of the family was Amna R. Chaudhary, Albert's longtime law clerk. Smith relayed the gratitude of Albert's wife, Debbie Gaskell Albert, who said the award "would have meant so much to him."

The evening's keynote speaker, Chief U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee, delivered a candid account of the court's challenges and resilience. With humor, she noted that despite the government shutdown, "we have 20 district, magistrate, and bankruptcy judges here tonight--and because of the shutdown, we couldn't provide transportation, so they had to drive themselves."

Gee described a year marked by wildfires that displaced court employees, troop deployments at courthouses, and a funding crisis leaving many staff unpaid. Yet, she said, "the state of our district remains strong," crediting the resolve of judges and staff.

She celebrated a milestone--"All 28 of our active judgeships are now filled for the first time in about a decade"--but warned that workload remains 45% above the national average. She cautioned that proposed 2026 appropriations fall "roughly a half-billion dollars short," threatening the Criminal Justice Act program, whose lawyers "have been working without pay since July."

Gee also addressed the rise in threats against federal judges--nearly 1,000 in recent years. "--his type of rhetoric is not normal and cannot be allowed to become normalized," she said. Citing Chief Justice John Roberts, she reminded attendees that "judicial independence is undermined unless the other branches are firm in their responsibility to enforce the court's decrees."

She urged lawyers to defend the rule of law: "We judges cannot speak publicly to defend ourselves. You must speak for us. Silence is acquiescence--and if we lose the rule of law, we will lose our fragile democracy."

Chief Magistrate Judge Karen L. Stevenson reported a sharp rise in civil consent cases--from 6% in 2024 to more than 43% this year--reflecting "the confidence and trust the bar continues to place in our magistrate judges."

The court began last year a protocol in which some civil cases are automatically assigned to U.S. magistrate judges, unless the parties opt out.

Stevenson, trained as both a lawyer and historian, closed with a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: "Courage is more exhilarating than fear."

Bankruptcy Judge Mark D. Houle provided an economic overview, noting that despite "phase two" of the shutdown, the bankruptcy court continues essential operations. Filings peaked at 142,789 in 2010, dropped to 21,042 in 2023, and rose to about 26,000 in 2025. Judgeships have fallen from 24 to 13, though two new posts in Riverside and one in Los Angeles are expected soon.