Republican

The saying goes, “You can get things done perfect, done fast, and done cheap, but you can’t get all three.” I believe the victims, defendants, and community do deserve all three. As Judge, I’ll promote these goals by stepping back and letting the advocates do their jobs: argue, investigate, and try their cases. This takes an incredible amount of trust, tempered with accountability. My ability to balance trust and accountability comes from my ten years as a prosecutor. I’ve tried almost twenty murders, so I know the legal issues and timelines critical for our toughest cases. I’ve supervised over a dozen young attorneys, which required setting clear expectations and trusting they would rise to the occasion. They each rewarded that trust.

There are lots of people who only pass through the criminal court once. Their bond has to be balanced with our want to keep them working, productive, and part of society. In those instances, we see many kids in school and early in their careers charged with non-violent felonies. As a Judge, I have to trust many of these individuals will not re-offend, will come to Court when ordered, and will follow common-sense bond conditions like curfews, drug testing, and GPS monitors. On the other hand, a certain number of defendants pose a high risk to re-offend or skip court. As a Judge, I can and will keep repeat, violent offenders in custody to protect victims. I’ll be prepared to deny bail where appropriate and get them speedy, fair trials.