He describes himself as a conservative judge in a conservative county. But many of those who have watched the career of Orange County Superior Court Judge James P. Gray said his approach to the job is anything but traditional.
Part rebel, part reformer, part conciliator, he has put together a record that keeps him in the limelight.
Gray's views make him a frequent target. A decade ago, Gray's call for the legalization of drugs prompted now-retired Sheriff Brad Gates to lash out to reporters: "What was this guy smoking? It's crazy. What kind of role model is he?"
And a fellow judge has openly questioned Gray's impartiality on the drug issue.
But Gray hasn't backed down. And now he finds himself at the center of two high-profile cases that keep him on center stage.
Last week, he brokered a landmark $5.2-million settlement between the Catholic Church and a teen who says he was molested by a priest. By all accounts, it was Gray's handling of settlement talks--one part delicate, one part firm--that led not only to one of the largest payouts by the church but also to a slate of church reforms aimed at preventing molestation by priests.
Gray also entered the battle over whether to build an airport at El Toro, shocking both sides by throwing out a new voter referendum on the issue. (A court of appeal overturned his ruling Friday.)
Gray even played a bit part this month in the case of a former college classmate accused of murder.
Far from the fuzzy-haired radical many expect, Gray is tall, clean-cut and lean-limbed. He'd appear much younger than his 56 years if not for a preponderance of gray hair.
Gray speaks curtly and eyes his subject intensely when listening. His single-mindedness is something he shares with his late father, another Orange County legal legend credited with helping reform the jails.
"The way I was raised was, you speak out if something is wrong," Gray said.
When he was first appointed a judge 17 years ago, Gray immediately endured the close attention of legal peers because of the actions of his father, U.S. District Court Judge William P. Gray. At the time, the elder Gray was butting heads with county officials over his rulings on jail overcrowding and prisoners' rights--a battle that would last for years.
"When you've just become a municipal court judge and your father is holding all the county supervisors in contempt of court [because of jail overcrowding], it's hard to be inconspicuous," Gray said.
