FRESNO—On Tuesday, September 9, 2025, retired Fresno County Superior Court Judge William Kent Hamlin presided temporarily at Civic Center Courthouse over a workplace violence in a courtroom between Deputy Public Defender Bruce Calderon and Court Deputy John Kahler. It was over Calderon getting a restraining order against Kahler that was denied.
According to Judge Hamlin, he found no reasonable cause for the restraining order. He dismissed Calderon’s fear of Kahler as unreasonable. Even though the argument was plausible and video surveillance footage had been reviewed throughout the hearing, Judge Hamlin still denied the restraining order. Kahler’s behavior was unprofessional, but it was no reason to have a restraining order.
While in court in February 2025, Kahler’s radio went off many times during Calderon’s closing statements. Calderon testified that Kahler confronted him verbally unprovoked aggressively, leaving Calderon triggered. Both the Sheriff’s Office and the Public Defender’s Office offered mediation, but both had different stories.
The second incident occurred at a security checkpoint. Calderon came up to him looking mean. Kahler called him ‘boy,’ which Calderon took it as demeaning and racist. Kahler pointed to his name tag and badge, telling him to puff out his chest. Although Kahler denied saying any such things, he admitted to pointing at Calderon’s name tag. These incidents were reported in September 2025.
