The book was ok but repetitive and not really seeming like it was for information but for spite on why the judicial system sucks. I was looking forward to reading why and how and how it feels but it felt off and just not comfortable reading. It wasn't like talking to a friend about what they do in their job but something shoved down my throat.

As an Australian, the American law system has always fascinated me. I went into this expecting to be shocked, & I wasn’t disappointed.
It highlights the injustices within the American law society, & how corrupt it can be.
The book gives an all access pass to the court room, & what happens behind closed doors.

Grateful to be Australian.

The beginning was about some family background and I wondered if the synopsis was about a different book. Thankfully I made it through that part and kept reading. Once she started describing the day-to-day events occurring in the courtroom my interest peaked and I became engaged with her reality and time as a judge. If you are a hardcore true crime junkie and can can get through the beginning, you'll enjoy reading her journal entries. The legal jargon was kept to a minimum and explained for those readers who may not be familiar with it, but it was detailed enough to get the point across. Overall I found this an interesting narrative and enjoyed reading it.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This book is well written and has good character development I just couldn’t personally get into the story and found it a little bit of a struggle to keep reading. Either way it just left a little lacking for me personally. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love memoirs and this is actually the first time I came across a memoir of a retired judge. I was excited to read it! It was interesting and fascinating to learn quite a bit about the job and life of a judge, the jury selection and the interesting cases that she handled.

Unfortunately I did not finish this book. The book is formatted like journal entries. So there are twelve months of chapters and there is an entry for almost each day of the month. It was like reading 365 journal entries. That is a lot! I was overwhelmed by the information. It was intriguing in the beginning but after reading 5 months of entries, it felt repetitive and dull. I've tried but it just couldn't hold my interest. This is frustrating as the writing is really good and I wish there weren't so much information.

***Thank you Smith Publicity and NetGalley for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.***

This book was very interesting. I read a lot of political/legal memoirs and this was unlike any other I’ve read. It offers an inside look at the daily life of a judge. It was a little slow at times, a tiny bit stream of consciousness, but overall it held my attention.

I received a copy of this e-book from Net Galley in exchange for a review. I regret to say that I did not finish the book. I'm surprised. I love memoirs and this book promised to teach me something new. I don't know much about the law or the court system and the idea of going on a vicarious tour inside the robes of a judge was very appealing. Unfortunately, I found the tour very dull. It felt like the author has been a judge for so long that the novelty has worn off. She could have been describing her job as a supermarket cashier -- what her surroundings look like, who she eats lunch with and what they talk about, where she parks, what she wears -- but there was no life there. I got the impression that much of the job is routine. Most court dates deal with the details of moving a case closer to a trial or a negotiated settlement and I suppose there's not much drama in that.
I'm sorry it didn't carry me through to the end. I tried.

Are you a true crime junkie? A law student contemplating a career in criminal law? This book contains the most accurate portrayal of the daily workings of a criminal courtroom. Courtroom 302 tried to do the same, but the author was a journalist and there are some subtleties that are lost on those who aren't criminal law attorneys/judges. As a criminal attorney, I knew I was going to love this book when the author talked about her difficult relationship with one of the attorneys assigned to her court. Highly recommend. Note: I was provided a copy of this book by net galley in exchange for an honest review and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to do so.

This was amazing. You literally step into the life of a judge for a year. Multiple entries a week with stories from the courtroom and an explanation of what to expect daily or how to handle certain situations judges find themselves in. This is an awesome read for true crime fans.

Very entertaining and insightful story of an LA judge. Compelling stories of a year in Judge Mader's life which was mesmerizing. This is a must read book!

Thank you to @netgalley for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This nonfictional read gives us a frank view into the day-to-day lives of the American criminal justice system and the Judges who seem to control all the power. Written in diary format and spanning over one year Judge Mader shows the inner turmoil and isolation that her work brings.

I found this read interesting and definitely learnt a few facts however I found the writing dry and at times felt like I was reading a legal textbook. I did enjoy the politics within the judicial system but the story lines were disjointed due to the diary format. The reader was only given brief summaries of the cases (possibly for legal reasons) yet I would have preferred more of the nitty gritty details.

I was provided a free copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. One of my favorite genres of books is true crime, so getting to read a book that gives a behind the scenes of a judge was right up my alley! The format of the book read like a journal with daily entries over the course of a year which worked well for the novel. I found the book did a great job of explaining pertinent terms in an easy to understand format and would recommend this novel for anyone who is interested in the legal system or true crime!

Very interested. Looking at cases from a judge's point of view can give you insight to the machinations of the courtroom that you don't usually realise.
I recommend this.

Inside the Robe by Judge Katherine Mader is described a candid tale of criminal justice in America, and I found myself intrigued by the idea of a behind the scenes look at day to day life in the courtroom. The book is written in a diary format, which really does give it a feeling of looking at someone's personal papers, and the judge does not mince her words when it comes to describing her day to day interactions, not just with the accused, but also with the other court professionals such as bailiffs, court reporters and both prosecution and defence attorneys. She can be cutting and comes across as almost blunt at times, but it is also clear that she gives a lot of thought to her decisions and rulings, and has a genuine interest in seeing justice served. The diary format also helped to give a sense of how long a case takes to go through the court process as we follow particular cases across several months from first appearance to sentencing. I felt like I had gained some insight into the complexities of the job by reading the book . I have always enjoyed reading and learning about other people and their lives and I would recommend this book to anyone else who shares that interest.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I was provided a free copy of this book by @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I really enjoyed this inside look into the life of a judge. Judge Mader journaled for a year about her cases, decisions, and typical courtroom procedures. She also brings up the politics of being elected vs appointed, the fine line that sometimes needs to be walked to ensure the judge adequately does their job without stepping (too hard) on toes, and the difficulties of sentencing and filling a jury. I thought it was a very thoughtful and well written discussion on some pretty difficult topics. So much of sentencing and decisions made by judges are not black and white issues.
If you like learning about someone else's life and job, you will enjoy this. This book was published yesterday, 1 September, so it is now available to purchase!! 🥳
#InsideTheRobe #NetGalley

First, I would like to thank the publisher and @netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. Being interested in all things true crime, and having degrees in Criminology (and contemplating law school!), this book really interested me. It is about a retired Judge who gives behind the scenes information about what it's like being a judge. I liked how she wrote it almost as a daily journal and told stories of how she first started out as a public defender and eventually rose to a criminal court Judge. I also enjoyed hearing different cases she has seen and presided over. I also enjoyed hearing the author's thoughts on different topics, both controversial topics and mundane topics - all while relating them to cases she has presided over or heard about from other judges. This book is really a behind the scenes look at being a judge and I eeally enjoyed it!

As a law student and future attorney, I knew this was a must-read for me. I worked for a judge this past summer, so I had a bit of an idea of how a judge's day goes and what it's like in a judge's chambers. I think that was a good background going into this book. I knew the basics and this was just extra insight into the judge's mind. I can see how it would be a little more difficult for someone who hasn't been in that position. The diary-like organization was neat, but I'm not sure I loved it. It was a little disjointed and sometimes hard to keep up with the recurring but interrupted storylines. I can also tell it was written by someone in the legal field, and maybe not in a great way. It was a little dry even though the actual stories she was telling were interesting. Overall, I would still recommend this book but I wish it was organized a little more directly and written a little less so.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I work in the legal system so I knew I would be able to tell if this was just filled with junk. It pleasantly surprised me by how much I enjoyed it! Must read in my book!