Face of Malibu: Judge Cesar...
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June 19, 2014 The Malibu Times B3 Crossword is on page B13 The Face of Malibu is an ongoing series by portrait artist Johanna Spinks to record the many unique personalities and newsmakers who shape the Malibu community. Each subject is painted in a single live sitting. If there is someone you would like to nominate, please email Managing Editor Melissa Caskey at [email protected]. Face of Malibu: Judge Cesar Sarmiento By Homaira Shifa Special to The Malibu Times C esar Sarmiento, a Malibu resident who has been a judge for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County for 26 years, is retiring this September as he turns 60 years old. He received his bachelor’s degree from Cal State Northridge and his juris doctorate from UC Davis in 1980. He is an avid surfer and plays guitar almost everyday. His wife Ellen is an attorney and they have four children together. He has been living in Malibu for 20 years. The Malibu Times got a chance to sit down with the man who goes surfing before and after work, and doesn’t mind showing up to work with wet hair. You’ve been a superior court judge for a long time and are retiring in a few months. What will you do next? I will be doing private media- tion and arbitration. It’s a natu- ral segue into the private sector. I like to resolve cases before they get to court. I do it because I like it. I will get to use my experi- ence as a lawyer and attorney. I practiced as an attorney for eight years before being appointed as a judge by the governor in 1988. What did you do prior to being a judge? I practiced as an attorney and deputy district attorney in Los Angeles. I was a public defend- er and district attorney prior to being judge. Being a judge is a very different job than being an attorney but the transition was fairly easy. You’ve seen quite a bit in your career. What are some interest- ing stories? Any case or story that stands out? When you do this for so long, what’s fascinating for other peo- ple is just part of the job for me. It’s hard to be shocked. When I did criminal cases I handled very nasty homicide cases. When I do civil cases it’s more about the emotional intensity. In 26 years I’ve done it all. What have you learned in your 26-year career as a superior court judge? The best thing you can do is listen. Really listen to what peo- ple say. It sounds like a simple thing, but most people don’t really listen to what someone is saying. And also one of the hard- est things is patience. The most important things I’ve learned are to listen and be patient. You are an avid surfer as well. How often do you enjoy the Malibu waves? I’ve lived in an area where I surf every day — before work and after work. I sometimes surf before I go to work. I worked at the Malibu courthouse for eight years. I’ve gone to work with wet hair. If it’s something you like to do, you always find time for it. You are a musician too. What do you play? I play the guitar and a little bit of keyboard. I’ve played in bands and I play solo. I’ve been playing since I was 10 years old. I started in the ‘60s when the Beatles and Rolling Stones came out. I play everyday. How have you seen Malibu change over the years? It’s grown more. There’s a lot more people over the period of time. That’s been the big- gest change. It used to be a very remote and distance place, it’s not like that anymore. People don’t have a problem commuting to Los Angeles and the Westside nowadays. It’s a lot more popular now. It seemed to really grow in the ‘90s. What is your favorite thing about Malibu? The people and the sense of community, especially if you have children. The beauty of the area, the ocean, the weather. I wouldn’t live anywhere else. How was it having your portrait painted by Johanna Spinks? It was interesting. I’ve never sat for a portrait before. But she is very professional. I’m looking forward to seeing it. Johanna Spinks paints portraits by commission. Visit johannaspinks. com or call 310.384.7029. The Face of Malibu series Laura Rosenthal Lilly Castro Oscar Mondragon Sherman Baylin John Paola Millie Decker Richard Chesterfield Bill Swartout Lesley-Anne Down Douglas Rucker Marie Stapel Diana Perry Scott Tallal Jackie Sutton Ted Gillespi Murv Dunnphy Jane Sullivan Hermenez Christine Hameline Talley Hutcherson The Ride Across USA cycling team, based in cen- tral Florida, embarked on a 3,000 mile journey that began in Malibu on June 4, and will end at Amelia Island, Fla., on July 8. The ride is taking place to raise money and awareness for Hope For the Warriors, a post-Sept. 11 charity that helps injured service members and their families. The average age of the team of cyclists is 48. They are riding an average of 100 miles a day through various terrains, including desert, the Rockies and the Great Plains. Sea to shining sea Photo courtesy Scott Hillman, driveby-shooting.com The Ride Across USA cycling team will cycle from coast to coast to raise money for Hope For the Warriors, starting its journey in Malibu. Art analysis Young yogis Photo courtesy Eva Wilson Local artist Johanna Spinks (painter for The Malibu Times portrait series “Face of Malibu”) attends the Malibu Art Association’s monthly meeting and critiques members’ works. Photo courtesy Stephanie Jones Waylan Russel and Roux Bee Sanders, Malibu Beach Yoga’s youngest scholars, practice tree pose in their Yoga for Kids class, designed for yogis three to six years old. B1-4,7,8,14 6-12-14.indd 3 6/17/14 7:44 PM
Transcript of Face of Malibu: Judge Cesar...
June 19, 2014 The Malibu Times B3
Crossword is on page B13
The Face of Malibu is an ongoing series by portrait artist Johanna Spinks to record the many unique personalities and newsmakers who shape the Malibu community. Each subject is painted in a single live sitting. If there is someone you would like to nominate, please email Managing Editor Melissa Caskey at [email protected].
Face of Malibu: Judge Cesar Sarmiento
By Homaira ShifaSpecial to The Malibu Times
Cesar Sarmiento, a Malibu resident who has been a judge for the Superior
Court of Los Angeles County for 26 years, is retiring this September as he turns 60 years old. He received his bachelor’s degree from Cal State Northridge and his juris doctorate from UC Davis in 1980. He is an avid surfer and plays guitar almost everyday. His wife Ellen is an attorney and they have four children together. He has been living in Malibu for 20 years.
The Malibu Times got a chance to sit down with the man who goes surfing before and after work, and doesn’t mind showing up to work with wet hair.
You’ve been a superior court judge for a long time and are retiring in a few months. What will you do next?
I will be doing private media-tion and arbitration. It’s a natu-ral segue into the private sector. I like to resolve cases before they get to court. I do it because I like it. I will get to use my experi-ence as a lawyer and attorney. I practiced as an attorney for eight years before being appointed as a judge by the governor in 1988.
What did you do prior to being a judge?
I practiced as an attorney and deputy district attorney in Los Angeles. I was a public defend-
er and district attorney prior to being judge. Being a judge is a very different job than being an attorney but the transition was fairly easy.
You’ve seen quite a bit in your career. What are some interest-ing stories? Any case or story that stands out?
When you do this for so long, what’s fascinating for other peo-ple is just part of the job for me. It’s hard to be shocked. When I did criminal cases I handled very nasty homicide cases. When I do civil cases it’s more about the emotional intensity. In 26 years I’ve done it all.
What have you learned in your 26-year career as a superior court judge?
The best thing you can do is listen. Really listen to what peo-ple say. It sounds like a simple thing, but most people don’t really listen to what someone is saying. And also one of the hard-est things is patience. The most important things I’ve learned are to listen and be patient.
You are an avid surfer as well. How often do you enjoy the Malibu waves?
I’ve lived in an area where I surf every day — before work and after work. I sometimes surf before I go to work. I worked at the Malibu courthouse for eight years. I’ve gone to work with wet hair. If it’s something you like to do, you always find time for it.
You are a musician too. What do you play?
I play the guitar and a little bit of keyboard. I’ve played in bands and I play solo. I’ve been playing since I was 10 years old. I started in the ‘60s when the Beatles and Rolling Stones came out. I play everyday. How have you seen Malibu change over the years?
It’s grown more. There’s a lot more people over the period of time. That’s been the big-gest change. It used to be a very remote and distance place, it’s not like that anymore. People don’t have a problem commuting to Los Angeles and the Westside nowadays. It’s a lot more popular now. It seemed to really grow in the ‘90s.
What is your favorite thing about Malibu?
The people and the sense of community, especially if you have children. The beauty of the area, the ocean, the weather. I wouldn’t live anywhere else.
How was it having your portrait painted by Johanna Spinks?
It was interesting. I’ve never sat for a portrait before. But she is very professional. I’m looking forward to seeing it.
Johanna Spinks paints portraits by commission. Visit johannaspinks.com or call 310.384.7029.
The
Face of Malibu series
Laura Rosenthal Lilly Castro Oscar Mondragon Sherman BaylinJohn Paola
Millie DeckerRichard Chesterfield
Bill Swartout Lesley-Anne Down Douglas Rucker
Marie Stapel
Diana Perry Scott Tallal
Jackie Sutton
Ted Gillespi
Murv Dunnphy Jane Sullivan Hermenez
Christine Hameline
Talley Hutcherson
Fairytale ending
The Ride Across USA cycling team, based in cen-tral Florida, embarked on a 3,000 mile journey that began in Malibu on June 4, and will end at Amelia Island, Fla., on
July 8. The ride is taking place to raise money and awareness for Hope For the Warriors, a post-Sept. 11 charity that helps injured service members and their families.
The average age of the team of cyclists is 48. They are riding an average of 100 miles a day through various terrains, including desert, the Rockies and the Great Plains.
Sea to shining sea
Photo courtesy Scott Hillman, driveby-shooting.comThe Ride Across USA cycling team will cycle from coast to coast to raise money for Hope For the Warriors, starting its journey in Malibu.
Art analysis
Young yogis
Photo courtesy Eva WilsonLocal artist Johanna Spinks (painter for The Malibu Times portrait series “Face of Malibu”) attends the Malibu Art Association’s monthly meeting and critiques members’ works.
Photo courtesy Stephanie JonesWaylan Russel and Roux Bee Sanders, Malibu Beach Yoga’s youngest scholars, practice tree pose in their Yoga for Kids class, designed for yogis three to six years old.
B1-4,7,8,14 6-12-14.indd 3 6/17/14 7:44 PM
