Hennepin County Judges hope to improve their own conduct

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In Minneapolis, some judges are subjecting themselves to unusual scrutiny. The judges have asked an independent observer to critique *their* courtoom conduct in hopes of improving the fairness of the justice system. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports: Imagine you're in family court, trying to hash out a child custody matter. You expect the judge to take your case seriously. But the judge looks past you, spends an inordinate amount of time pouring and mixing coffee, and puts his feet up on the desk. St.Cloud State Communications Professor Rin Porter says this type of demeanor by judges tells people, "I don't care about your case; I've got more interesting things to do."

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