Commissioner Steff Padilla is the wife of publicly admonished Commissioner Alan Friedenthal (you should Google both). She is an ego maniac hell bent on hearing herself talk, but fails to follow or enforce the law.
January 2017 she has been relocated to courtroom 421. She has the same court reporter who is taught only to take down her words and to edit them after the hearing. So if you are seeking accurate transcripts, don't waste your money.
She has abused her authority in at least the following ways:
DECISIONAL DELAY: On 11/18/2016 Commissioner Steff Padilla (spouse of publicly admonished Commissioner Alan Friedenthal) opted not to hear the Walk On Request for this matter, despite having prior knowledge on 11/7/2016 that DCFS failed to make reasonable efforts to arrange visitation between myself and child and Commissioner Padilla having ordered DCFS to arrange visitation on 10/14/2016 and restating same on 11/7/2016. As a consequence, I have not had any visitation with my infant child during the month of November and have only seen my infant child for 1.5 hours since Commissioner Padilla ordered DCFS to support “reunification†services with myself and infant who was illegally detained by Commissioner Kading-Martinez on 3/15/2016 supported by a warrant signed by Judge Teresa Sullivan on 3/4/2016 based on incomplete information provided to Judge Teresa willfully and intentionally withheld by DCFS to remove my infant from her home.
Commissioner Padilla has also failed to acknowledge or address on any court Minute Order the 388 Petition I filed with the Clerk’s office on 10/14/2016 despite WIC 252 and California Rules of Court 5.542.
According to WIC 252, the Judge's response to the Request for Rehearing must be committed to Minute Order and there is no record of any Minute Order related to the 388 matter.
In my letter to the Commission on Judicial Ethics (who is of no help) dated 11/15/2016. I explained that Edelman Court failed to timely respond to the Request for Rehearing filed on 10/21/2016. On 11/16/2016 after alerting LADL, Inc. of my intention to file a complaint with your Commission, Department 414 serendipitously found documentation that alleges that the Request was denied on 11/10/2016 though no proof of any Minute Order has been provided to me per WIC 248.5. It is highly suspicious that Edelman Court Department 414 was able to produce on 11/16/2016 a document that no one was able to confirm when I contacted the courtroom at (323) 307-80XX during a 26-minute call at 11:12 a.m. on 11/14/2016 with the courtroom clerk or during the 5-minute call at 11:39 a.m. on the same day. Yet, on 11/16/2016 a document was produced that may have been “back dated†by court personnel in an attempt to claim that Department 414 had complied within the 20-day timeline imposed by the statute (CRC 5.542). However, Department 414 has seemed to have forgotten to falsify the Minute Order as well.
FAILURE TO COOPERATE/LACK OF CANDOR: Edelman Court, Department 414, Judge Victor H. Greenberg, and Commissioner Steff Padilla have failed to ensure mother’s rights in this matter and has intentionally ignored all Due Process Laws, California Rules of Court, and LA County Local Court Rules.
ADMINISTRATIVE MALFEASANCE: Edelman Court Department 414 has abdicated its power to DCFS. Edelman has failed to
hold DCFS accountable in disobeying the Court's orders several times in this matter. Padilla, like Referee Klaif refuse to hold DCFS in contempt for violating Court Orders. Specifically, on 10/14/2016, Commissioner Padilla ordered DCFS to allow visitation with my infant child 3 days per week for a measly 2 hours per day, but has not compelled DCFS to comply to date. On 11/7/2016 Commissioner Padilla (based on what I have been told) ordered DCFS to make reasonable attempts to accommodate visitation between myself and child and her siblings. On 11/14/2016 I contacted DCFS and my attorney’s for an update and have heard nothing from DCFS. On 11/17/2016 LADL Inc., states that the request for Walk On has been calendared for 11/28/2016 because God forbid, Department 414 be required to enforce any court Order before the Thanksgiving Holiday. I have not seen my baby in the month of November and on 1.5 hours since the Court’s Order on 10/14/2016.
FAILURE TO ENSURE RIGHTS: Mother's Civil Rights and Due Process rights have been violated since 3/10/2016. Specifically, on 10/14/2016, Commissioner Padilla ordered DCFS to allow visitation with my infant child 3 days per week for a measly 2 hours per day, but has not compelled DCFS to comply to date. On 11/7/2016 Commissioner Padilla (based on what I have been told) ordered DCFS to make reasonable attempts to accommodate visitation between myself and child and her siblings. On 11/14/2016 I contacted DCFS and my attorney’s for an update and have heard nothing from DCFS. On 11/17/2016 LADL Inc., states that the request for Walk On has been calendared for 11/28/2016 because God forbid, Department 414 be required to enforce any court Order before the Thanksgiving Holiday. I have not seen my baby in the month of November and on 1.5 hours since the Court’s Order on 10/14/2016.
IMPROPER ACTIVITIES: 1st Trial was declared a mistrial due to impropriety by Referee Steven R. Klaif under Judge Greenberg. On 11/14/2016 I contacted DCFS and my attorney’s for an update and have heard nothing from DCFS. On 11/17/2016 LADL Inc., states that the request for Walk On has been calendared for 11/28/2016 because God forbid, Department 414 be required to enforce any court Order before the Thanksgiving Holiday. I have not seen my baby in the month of November and on 1.5 hours since the Court’s Order on 10/14/2016.
Commissioner Steff Padilla is the wife of Publicly Admonished Commissioner Alan Friedenthal, share a similar and like mind as her spouse. I did express concerns to my LADL, Inc. attorney Katherine Anderson, who trusted Padilla to be fair. However, during the course of the trial Commissioner Steff Padilla made denigrating and undignified comments toward me, just as has been documented about her husband. Padilla accused me of lying when I had NEVER testified in the matter. She said, “Mother lied,†and berated me by calling me names from the bench. Padilla had the audacity to call me “obnoxious†among other things. I was flabbergasted. My attorney even confided in me that she thought the comments to be unfair and I suggest extreme.
MISUES OF COURT RESOURCES: This entire matter has been a misuse and abuse of court resources
NON-PERFORMANCE OF JUDICIAL RESPONSIBILITIES: Greenberg has failed to competently perform his duties and has failed to require same of judicial officers in his charge, including, but not limited to: Commissioner Marilyn Kading-Martinez, Referee Steven R. Klaif, and Commissioner Steff Padilla (wife of Publicly Admonished Commissioner Alan Friedenthal).
Steff Padilla is a threat to children and families. She allows my baby to reside with a drug addict, convicted of possession to sale drugs, and possession of a firearm. This individual is also involved in a murder...
she is a miserable @#$% (person).