Good judges matter, and so does your vote

Terrebonne special athletes go for gold
September 21, 2010
Geraldine Spencer
September 23, 2010
Terrebonne special athletes go for gold
September 21, 2010
Geraldine Spencer
September 23, 2010

Dear Editor,


Too often voters tend to skip the races they know the least about – usually judicial ones. But, as the Oct. 2nd elections approach, it’s important for voters to remember that judicial races can have a tremendous impact on our daily lives.

Almost everything you do in a typical day may have been influenced by prior legal decisions – what you eat, the car you drive, how you perform your job, and how you entertain your friends.


Our judges wield a tremendous amount of power that is largely unchallenged.


They make critical decisions that affect our economy, our health care and our environment. They also have the ability to provide justice for those who have been wronged, and they are responsible for protecting our courts from lawsuit abuse.

Good judges are the foundation of any properly functioning judicial system, and we are fortunate to live in a state where we have the power to choose who represents us on state and district courts. That’s why it’s so important that you get to know the candidates – learn about their judicial philosophies and the professional backgrounds they will bring to the bench.


It can also be very telling to find out who their campaign contributors are. This information is publicly available through the Louisiana Ethics Administration’s website at www.ethics.state.la.us.


Good judges are honest and committed to following the law in every case. Good judges are fair and unbiased, and as elected members of the judicial branch they recognize they are public servants who work for and ultimately answer to us, the people.

The ongoing congressional impeachment trial of U.S. District Judge Porteous from New Orleans is a sobering reminder that sometimes judges do not live up to the high ethical standard that is expected of them. When this happens, our faith in the legal system can be diminished. But that’s why it is important for us, the voters, to hold them accountable for their actions. We have the power to elect them into office, and we have the power to kick them out.

The famous Greek philosopher Socrates once said, there are “four things that belong to a judge: to hear courteously, to answer wisely, to consider soberly and decide impartially.” With this in mind, we should ask ourselves, does a particular candidate have the temperament to be a judge? And considering their previous legal experience, their education and their public demeanor, can they provide unbiased, uninfluenced rulings? These are important questions to consider.

The bottom line is good judges really do matter, and so does your vote.

These elections are often decided by a very thin margin – sometimes within 100 votes or less. So don’t let someone else speak for you on Election Day.

Learn about the candidates and get to the polls on Oct. 2nd.

Melissa Landry,

Executive Director, La. Lawsuit Abuse Watch,

Baton Rouge