The Girl who Found her Path

Ever since I was a little girl, I have envisioned myself in a courtroom. No, not on trial or anything like that, but as a successful attorney and eventually a judge. Whenever my family members used to have arguments with one another, I would arrange a court style mediation where I would decide who was right based on each side’s case. My family was always amused and fascinated by my evident passion for the study of law. The courtroom is where I am meant to be, and where I envision myself being in a few years. I had never felt more certain about my future until I found myself interning in a courtroom this past summer.

In Spring 2017, I had the wonderful opportunity to share a lunch with the Honorable Judge Jose Linares at Ramapo College. I was then serving as President of Phi Alpha Delta: Pre-Law Fraternity and Senate Liaison for the HGS in the Student Government Association. Through these positions, I was invited to join in on such a special lunch. While enjoying a lovely meal with the Federal Judge, I had the chance to gain a perspective on what it is like to work in such a prominent position. He also describe the persistence involved in his journey, where he unremittingly pursued his own version of the American Dream as an immigrant from Cuba. His persistence and determination was so inspiring to me, and has encouraged me to continue chasing a similar dream.

After sharing a lovely afternoon with Judge Linares, I left him a thank you e-mail explaining how inspired I was by his story and how it related to my own life. I was pleased to find a quick reply from the Judge. In his e-mail to me, he stated that he would speak to a Judge in the Superior Court of Essex County about a possible internship opportunity for me. Thanks to his kind and caring nature, Judge Linares was able to secure me an internship with the Honorable Judge Linda Lordi Cavanaugh. So, in the Summer of 2017, I had the chance to work in a Judge’s chambers.

Judge Cavanaugh works in the Family Division of the Essex County Superior Court, located in Newark, NJ. Specifically, Judge Cavanaugh mostly handles cases involving child abuse. Unsurprisingly, I was met with many sad stories about children that had faced physical, emotional, and mental abuse. Though she was confronted with these stories on a daily basis, she seemed to always remain hopeful for the future of each family she encountered. Thus, she constantly took endless measures to ensure the safety of the children she met. To my surprise, she even placed much importance on ensuring that each parent was given proper services to guarantee that abuse would no longer be an issue for each distinct family. I had never realized that child abuse court goes beyond the needs of the child. This experience truly opened my eyes and made me understand the different aspects involved in punishing, ending, and preventing abuse against children.

Through this internship, I was able to meet many other Judges like Judge Cavanaugh and Judge Linares, who are in their professions in order to help others. I now find it humorous to watch television shows or movies that depict Judges as intimidating and heartless individuals. While that may be the case in some instances, every Judge I encountered was beyond compassionate and understanding. The Judges that I met validated my instinct to pursue a career path in the legal field, and to always stay humble and sympathetic, no matter how successful I become. In the end, success cannot be measured by the number of dollar bills that you acquire, but by the amount of lives you touch.

I intend to touch as many lives as I come across. Without the opportunities Ramapo has given me, I do not think I would be as confident in my ability to continue on this path.

– Sabrina Santamaria

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