Judge Trudy Kessler
- Jane Kaczmarek

To Judge Kessler, the law is purely black and white, which is a far cry from her days as a public defender. She offers no wiggle room for prosecutor or defender alike and treats everyone as if they should be honored to stand before her. But she also has a vulnerable side, as seen when her law clerk ended their romantic relationship by coming out of the closet or when an old case exposed a rare judicial error on her part. She easily hides that vulnerability, however, when it comes to her political goals, which include becoming the next district attorney.