Judicial candidates size up the lay of the legal landscape

Judicial candidates striving to rule over the District 1 Circuit Court made their case before the court of public opinion at a recent forum held at the Coastal Branch Library.

Cannon Laws shielded the candidates for the most part from questions relating to anything they may have to rule on — from gay adoption and marijuana to proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot in November. 

However, one candidate was more blunt about his views.

”From my standpoint, I am a conservative at heart and don’t want anyone tell me how to practice my religion,” Robert McGill said to the question on a recent Santa Rosa school prayer case. “It’s an important part of our society and I hope we never see religion totally eradicated from the public forum.”

“Having said that, his heart is in the right place everybody,” Michael Flowers said. “We are trying to follow the rules the best we can.”

He went on, “the reason for Cannon Law is we can’t give the impression we would rule in a certain way to get someone to vote for us,” Flowers continued. “That is not what Bob was doing I know that without question.”

Alishia McDonald said she thought McGill’s comments were “inappropriate” and voters should put people in power that “profess to have a personal relationship with the divine giver of knowledge."

Kenneth Brooks had a “different take” on what he described as an interesting case that is not going away.

“I enjoyed that people got involved, knew about the case and were informed with the issue,” he said.

The potential judges found a consensus on topics of voter-elected judgeships over appointments, applying the letter over the spirit of the law and that the low-paid position makes it one of service.

For Brooks, having been a general practice trial attorney for 20 years, this is the “pinnacle” of a career, and with his experience this is “my way to give back to the community.”

McGill said, “It’s a logical progression” with his 25 years in the profession and “wide array of qualifications” and his “temperament.”

To Flowers, “It is vitally important” that some have the “experience” for judgeship, and that is what “drives him.”

The designation as one, of few, able to argue capital cases makes him the “qualified candidate,” Flowers said. 

McDonald was “spurred” by the “injustices she has witnessed.”

“People who need to go to jail should go to jail,” McDonald said, but there is a lot of “over incarceration that is bankrupting our system” because judges are “failing to hear all of the facts and to fairly administer justice.”

To see video of entire forum courtesy of neighborvision, click here.

For more coverage of Primary Election 2010.

http://www.waltonsun.com/articles/florida-5299-find-common.html

http://www.waltonsun.com/articles/florida-5299-find-common.html

http://www.waltonsun.com/articles/aug-5217-county-commission.html

http://www.waltonsun.com/articles/board-5154-school-walton.html

In order for a non-partisan candidate to secure the seat, they must get a majority vote — 50 percent plus one.

Voting for judicial hopefuls is at-large in Walton, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Escambia counties in the primary race. The top-two finishers will most likely face off in the General Election on Nov 2.

Two candidates — Clint Davis and Mike Lawson — opted out at the last minute from the forum hosted by the Walton County Taxpayers Association and the Sandestin Voters Association.

DECISION DAY DRAWS NEAR

To see The Walton Sun’s digital guide to the primary election, the candidates and the issues, see waltonsun.com.

Saturday Aug. 21 is the final day voters can cast early ballots at the main Elections office in DeFuniak Springs at 571 U.S. Highway 90 East and the satellite office off Hwy. 331 South at 31 Coastal Centre Blvd. Suite 300 in Santa Rosa Beach. The offices will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

If you choose to cast your ballot on Election Day, Tuesday, Aug. 24, you must go to your precinct’s polling place to do so. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

A current identification card (driver’s license, passport, student, military ID, etc.) that includes your photo and signature must be shown to vote at a polling place. If you do not have the required identification, you will be provided with a Provisional Ballot. If the signature on record at the Supervisor of Elections office matches that on the Provisional Ballot Certificate, the canvassing board will accept the ballot.

For a complete listing of precincts, polling places and sample ballots, see votewaltoncounty.com.