Tales from the Bench

Tales from the Bench by Sandra Simms is a pioneer memoir about a neglected slice of Hawai`i judicial history. In this unique, insightful, and compelling book, written by the first African American woman judge in the Hawaiian Islands, Simms candidly reveals the cultural and political events and forces on the Mainland, and the diversity, crime, and social problems in the Islands that shaped her courage and commitment to justice, in spite of and because of her history: growing up black in Chicago. She credits her family, community, social networks, church, the dynamic forces of post WWII African American migrations to Chicago, and the Civil Rights Movement for her choice and dedication to a career in law. Simms uses words and storytelling to skillfully integrate her personal background with her subsequent 30 plus years in Hawai`i where she successfully served as an attorney, a politically appointed judge, and a witness (observer) of many fascinating experiences. In this book, Simms sensitively recounts memorable criminal cases involving women, drugs, island families and their support for their loved ones, simultaneously revealing the heart and responsibility of a judge to remain objective and fair in face of complex situations and island politics.