Just no easy path to the bench

So, you wanna be a judge.

Cool job, right? The robe, the gavel. The judge has his/her own entrance into the courtroom. Everyone knows the judge.

There are two ways to get hired on the local or regional level.

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One is by gubernatorial appointment to fill a judicial vacancy. The process is very formal. Lengthy applications are reviewed and scrutinized by a high-level panel of attorneys. That group sends a list of finalists to the governor who makes the appointment.

The decision-makers are attorneys, politicians, and bureaucrats. The public has very little role in this process.

Attorneys prefer that route, as I’m sure would most people. A professional wants his peers to decide whether he's a judge or not.

The other way is when you and I decide. Like we’re going to do in four judicial races in the Aug. 20 primary.

Let’s break it down some:

— On the ballot are three Fifth Judicial Circuit court seats. None of them are “Citrus County” seats, but we’ll vote, nonetheless. The idea is that we’re all one circuit, so the Lake County circuit judge is no different than a Citrus County circuit judge.

— There is no politician who has it worse than a Circuit Court judicial candidate. First off, the campaign rules are absurdly tight for judicial candidates. Secondly, no one outside their family and circle of friends recognizes their names. Third, most are financing much of their own campaigns. Fourth, they take all those challenges across five counties. Fifth, they have this crazy campaign schedule while holding down, you know, lawyer jobs. I’ve heard those can be time-consuming.

— I encourage readers to check out their info: Group 7, Erin Daly and Derek Saltsman; Group 13, Heidi Davis (incumbent) and Zach McCormick; Group 20, Ben Boylston and Barbara Kissner Kwatkowsky. 

— These judge elections are total crapshoots. It’s practically impossible to read a voter’s motivation for supporting a judicial candidate. The races are nonpartisan, and candidates have to steer far from anything remotely leaning to one partisan side or another. Good luck navigating that campaign trail. 

Plus, judicial races usually fall at or near the bottom of the ballot. The challenge for these candidates, especially in Citrus where they’re not known, is getting recognized enough for voters to fill in the little oval next to their names.

— There is one incumbent: Heidi Davis in Group 13 is a Lake County circuit judge. She was appointed in 2010 and, according to her bio, served as a magistrate in Citrus and Hernando counties before that. So, some Citrus connection.

Fun fact: She was the first, and is still the only, female Lake County judge.

— Haven’t said much about the County Judge. We have (actually, had) three: two were appointed, and Ed Spaight was elected two years ago. One of the appointees, Charles Helm, was THIS CLOSE to being handed a full term without opposition when, literally the day before ballot qualifying, the governor promoted him to Circuit Court judge.

That brought Amber May Thomas and Lisa Yeager into a suddenly open County Judge seat. Each plopped down $7,000 filing fees, and one will be elected a county court judge.

I had Cattle Dog chats with both and found each quite engaging and delightful. Citrus County’s in good shape regardless of how that shakes out.

— Judicial candidates can’t say zip about the job they’re seeking. “I’m experienced,” is about as far as they can go.

(Though it would certainly be more FUN if we could pinpoint judicial candidates:

“What’s your position on people who don’t use their turn signals? Probation, or straight to hard time?”

“Ummm…”)

— Community involvement is my key to all judicial races. I learn plenty about someone’s temperament by their approach to community leadership. 

We want judges who are on the front lines in Citrus County. All elected officials carry weight, but a judge’s name adds instant credibility to any worthy cause. Judges should be known as much for what they do outside the courtroom as in it.

Retired Judges Patricia Thomas (who, I gotta mention, is supporting Amber) and Mark Yerman set the standard for others to follow.

We have a rare opportunity to elect four judges. Let’s pick four good ones.

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