The community will get a rare opportunity to do just that at a public forum Wednesday, April 25, at Cal State Northridge's annual "Meet the Judges Forum: Cross-Examine Your Los Angeles County Judges."

The free event, sponsored by CSUN's Political Science Department, is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Grand Salon of the University Student Union on the east side of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge. Parking is available for $1.75 in Lot C on Zelzah Avenue.

"There is little opportunity for judges and the public to interact outside the formal constraints of the courtroom. This gives the public the chance to ask questions and discuss concerns about the operation of the court system," said Sylvia Snowiss, a CSUN political science professor who organized the event.

Judges from the Van Nuys and San Fernando Superior Courts and a representative from the San Fernando Valley Bar Association will answer questions from the public about the workings of the court system and the role of judges.

For more information, call the Political Science Department at (818) 677-3488.

California State University, Northridge has more than 29,000 full- and part-time students and offers 58 bachelor's and 50 master's degrees. Founded in 1958, it is the only four-year university in the San Fernando Valley.