An Orange County Superior Court judge ordered Westminster City Councilwoman Amy Phan West to complete an in-person ethics training course and 20 hours of community service as part of a diversion program after the elected official was charged with a misdemeanor for attempted bribery.

The ruling comes months after Phan West pleaded not guilty in February to attempting to bribe parking enforcement officers in 2023 to stop her husband’s car from being towed.

[Read: Westminster City Councilwoman Pleads Not Guilty to Attempting to Bribe Parking Officers]

On Monday, Superior Court Judge Sherri Honer granted Phan West’s request to take part in a judicial diversion program, stating that the councilwoman was eligible for such a program because she had no prior convictions.

Honer also said the court takes such cases seriously because of its impact on public trust, but reminded observers in the courtroom that criminal defendants are accused of wrongdoing and are considered not guilty until proven otherwise in a court of law.

“Ethic training should be something elected officials regularly take,” Honer said Monday at the Westminster courthouse.

As part of the diversion program, Phan West will have to complete 20 hours of community service by Oct. 27, donate $500 to a fund that provides financial support to victims of crimes and complete an in-person ethics training through the OC ethics commission.

Her lawyer, Randy Collins, told a reporter outside the courtroom they were happy with the court’s decision.

Amidst her legal troubles, a campaign committee dubbed “Councilwoman Phan West Legal Defense Fund” raised over $5,000 as of June 30 – $4,000 of which was paid to Collins’ office, according to a campaign finance disclosure form.

Last week, Collins maintained Phan West’s innocence in an email arguing that a diversion program would dismiss her charges without having to go through a costly jury trial.

“If granted, this resolution would provide a dismissal of all charges without the need for a jury trial, which would cost taxpayers thousands of dollars,” Collins wrote. 

“Councilwoman West has maintained her innocence throughout the process and believes this legal remedy represents an appropriate means of procuring a dismissal while being conscientious of taxpayer dollars.”

[Read: Westminster Councilwoman Accused of Bribery Heads to Court; Legal Troubles Flare Up]

He also added that the District Attorney’s office has not opposed Phan West’s request and that residents against the diversion program were not privy to all the facts in the case.

After publication of this article, Kimberly Edds – a spokeswoman for the Orange CountyDistrict Attorney’s office –  said the diversion program was a fair remedy.

“Our goal is to hold her accountable based on the conduct in this particular case. Under California law, she is eligible for misdemeanor diversion and based on the facts of this case we are confident that this is a fair and reasonable disposition,” she wrote in a Monday email.

About a dozen residents showed up to the courtroom in opposition to the judge granting the city councilwoman a diversion program.

They weren’t the only ones who came out.

Phan West, who has repeatedly denied the allegations, also showed up to court on a Monday with more than a dozen supporters including her husband, Jeremy, and fellow Councilman NamQuan Nguyen.

Honer allowed one person from each group to speak before deciding to grant Phan West’s request for a diversion program.

Terry Rains, a Westminster resident against granting the diversion program, called on the councilwoman to spend a day in jail and to enter a guilty plea.

“The defendant abused her political power,” she told the judge on Monday.

Rains also wrote and submitted a statement signed by over 100 residents detailing how Phan West’s actions have impacted them and that her behavior is part of a pattern, pointing to similar incidents in 2023 involving a recreational vehicle owned by Phan West’s husband.

“Her actions unmistakably crossed ethical lines, transforming public service into personal privilege. The gravity of this offense – using political influence to obstruct lawful enforcement – has eroded our trust in local government, the rule of law, and irreversibly harmed the integrity of our city government,” reads the statement.

“When an elected official is accused of attempting to bribe a public officer in the very city they represent, it is not a victimless crime. The entire community – its residents, small businesses, civic partners, and future generations – are the direct victims of this breach of public duty.”

Ryan Bent, a trustee for the North Orange County Community College District, defended Phan West, arguing that while the councilwoman had a lot of supporters she also had a lot of enemies.

“This case has an element of political motivation,” he said in the courtroom Monday. 

“This case has been completely overblown.”

Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @ElattarHosam.