Recently, when I gave testimony as an expert witness in a court of law, something crazy happened: I met a nice judge. Now, when I say "nice" I don't mean to conjure images of her pouring me glasses of Jasmine Pearls tea to soothe my throat as I testified, but she did strike me as different from many of the other judges I have encountered - who have often been harsh, dogmatic, and remarkably unsympathetic. Meeting her, a seeming exception to the rule, made me wonder why so many judges come across as so... mean.

Examination of the outward expressions of judges requires an examination of the overall context in which judges preside. The courtroom is designed to establish the judge as The Exalted One, from the distinct wardrobe and protection by armed court officers to the stage upon which the judge sits and the title of "Your Honor." These factors serve to remind us of the judge's importance in case - God forbid! - we forget.

My recent experience in the courtroom was fairly pleasant because the judge I encountered was professional - she did her job, got the facts, and rendered an opinion. She did so in a way that did not require subjugation or intimidation of others. Her demeanor - or judicial bedside manner, if you will - set her apart from other judges I have witnessed in court and heard others describe, as well. I personally have watched other judges rudely cut people off mid-sentence, address people in a critical and patronizing tone, and generally cast others in a naïve and unintelligent light.

Judges don't have to be so mean. There are clearly some excellent and fair judges, but that only makes me even more curious as to why so many other judges buy into such a one-dimensional - almost cartoonish - presentation of themselves. If the nature of their work is truly complex, why do they let themselves fall into a scripted role, as if they're playing the part of "Unsympathetic Judge" in a bad Lifetime movie? Please tell me their end goal is not to mimic the narcissistic tantrums of the judges with their own eponymous television shows.

I have heard it said that men and women who yearn for power seek out professions in which they find that power and wield it. I hope that this simplistic explanation doesn't account for the reason why our robe-wearing arbiters of justice appear so hell-bent on intimidating and patronizing the subjects of their courts. At the end of the day, I want to believe that America's judges are more complicated than that.