Judge Kristel Ann Foster

~ Values & Goals ~

​

1) We honor everyone who shows up. 

​​

If we truly believe in the American value of innocent until proven guilty, we meet everyone with kindness and a non-judgmental attitude. There should be no feelings of shame or embarrassment for coming to court. If there is, why would anyone come back? We have cases and cases of people who choose not to engage. True justice cannot be served if people aren’t participating.

​

​​

2) We help everyone understand.

​​

Court can be intimidating and confusing. We should meet people at their level, if that’s in a different language, or simplified English, everyday vocabulary, or a visual handout to follow along. Everyone should leave with more information, more understanding, than when they arrived. It should be worth their time while they showed up today. Everyone should leave knowing what the next step or decision is that they are being asked to make, or will have to make, the next time we meet with them.

​

​​

3) We reflect on who got what and why and how.

​

Are we treating some defendants, attorneys or victims differently than others? Is there a trend in what kind of person gets one thing versus another kind of person who gets something else? We must catch our biases and adjust when we notice them.

​​​

​​

4) Our work cannot appear mechanical and routine for victims or defendants.

​​

It is often our community members only experience in court, when our work is something we do daily or hourly. When a standard plea is offered, charges are reduced or pleas wrapped together, for example, it facilitates our work, but we can’t work so quickly that we compromise anyone’s understanding. People must understand the agreements they are being offered, and what is expected of them next. Or if their case goes to trial, what legal judgment was just entered, and if anything is expected of them afterwards.  

​​

​

5) We value people's time.

​​

We often note that a court date will last ‘one minute” and many wait and wait for that one-minute meeting with us for their case. We should reflect on how much time we’re asking each visitor to wait for us and why. We should talk as a team about what we can do, each in our own role, to expedite the time, without sacrificing justice, or anyone’s understanding.