E. Paul Stanley.Com

I called yesterday afternoon to confirm that no challenger has qualified to run yet.

Read The Times here–>Incumbents for Hall County judgeships throw hat in ring

Qualification for all non-partisan candidates starts June 23, 2008 and ends at Noon on June 28, 2008.  In Hall County, the only non-partisan races for us are the two State Court Judge positions held by Judge Gene Roberts and Charlie Wynne.  The fee for qualifying is a whopping $4,734.64!  My guesstimate of the annual salary for the positions based upon the qualifying fee is $157,821.34 per year or about $13,000 per month.  That works out to about $73 per hour.

Word on the street has it that Judge Wynne will draw competition this time.  I don’t think anyone is planning on running against Judge Roberts.  I still have my fingers crossed for Judge Baldwin.  Letters supporting him need to be sent in before June 24, 2008 to the Judicial Nominating Committee.

Some of the issues likely to be raised if there is a contested election are:  the cost/benefits of the “DUI Court” program, the overtime required by the Sheriff and Chief of Police for officers to sit in State Court “on call” for trials that never happen, ways to expedite the plea process, and courtroom demeanor and treatment of attorneys and defendants in court.  Probably the biggest campaign issue will be the selection and payment of attorneys appointed to represent indigent defendants.  There are issues about who is considered “indigent,” how the attorneys are selected to be appointed, and how they will be paid for the services provided.  Currently the Public Defender does NOT handle cases in State Court, but Brad Morris has put in a bid to provide those services on a per-case basis.

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…and I want Larry to have it too!  In fact, I only supported the added 3rd State Court Judge because I felt that Larry would be a great addition to the bench.  Remember that I got started in party politics with a desire to run AGAINST Larry for the Solicitor position.  I decided that he would do such a great job that I did not run against him.  I was right.  He has done an outstanding job as solicitor.  I feel that he has the proper education, intelligence, personality, and temperament to make a fine judge in any Court.  Larry’s personality and dilligence will compliment Judge Gene Roberts’ style.

I encourage each of you to submit a letter supporting Larry to the Judicial Nominating Commission, Michael J. Bowers, Chairman, by mail to 30 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd., NW, Suite 700, Atlanta, GA 30308, by fax to 1-866-547-3433 or by email to bwatson@balch.com.  If you would like, also send a copy of your letter to me.  Click on the link to the right to get my contact information.

Read the story in The Times here–>Larry Baldwin wants State Court judgeship.

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