They may appear as names on a ballot, but our goal is to help voters get to know them a little better.
Spectrum News 1 asked judicial candidates the same questions to help viewers and readers make informed decisions when voting.
Below are questions and answers from David Diamond and Scott Yang, who are running for Office #162.
Question: What work do you currently do, and why do you do it?
David Diamond: "I am a criminal defense attorney. Most of our work involves protecting the Constitutional rights of the citizens of Los Angeles County. We have a lot of cases where people are pulled over for reasons of race or gender or issues pertaining to that, and it gives us some satisfaction knowing that we operate, defense attorneys, as a checks and balances to the system."
Scott Yang: "I'm currently a Deputy District Attorney assigned to the Sex Crimes Division of L.A. County. I do it because it's meaningful work. Fighting for victims of sex crimes, child molestation, I feel are two of the most meaningful parts of the DA's Office. The victims who report these type of crimes tend to be extremely injured, more than just physical injuries, but they carry with them essentially an emotional scar for the rest of their lives."
Question: What does justice mean to you?
Diamond: "Justice means a fair application of the law to anybody that comes before the court. What I'm talking about is giving people the opportunity to be heard. How many times have we heard people say, 'The judge just didn't want to listen to me.' 'I lost the case. I wasn't even allowed to speak up.'"
Yang: "Justice means to me that the rights of the victims are upheld. Their interests are supported by representation in court, which in this particular case is the District Attorney's Office, but it's also balanced with the rights of the accused, and often times judges do have the discretion when it comes to sentencing."
Question: What is something voters should know about you outside the courtroom?
Diamond: "I've been a coach for almost 30 years now. My senior year in high school I was injured and I immediately started coaching the 7th and 8th grade team at that time. I've never looked back. My true love is baseball, but I've been coaching football just as long."
Yang: "I want the voters to see that I'm a person, and I'm not a politician. I spend time with my family. My children, they give me a lot of balance in my life."
Let Inside the Issues know your thoughts and watch Monday through Friday at 8 and 11 p.m. on Spectrum News 1.