Does a judge go too far?

However, whether a particular question or series of questions by a judge goes too far is difficult to assess on a cold record because we cannot determine if the tone of any particular question was other than neutral, and because the transcript does not indicate the length of pauses by the attorneys in between the answer to one question and the asking of another. (People v. Raviart (2001) 93 Cal.App.4th 258, 272 [trial court is " 'in a better position than the reviewing court to know when the circumstances warrant or require the interrogation of witnesses from the bench' "].)