Experience Matters!
It is imperative that a newly elected justice of the peace be prepared and ready to start work on the first day in the office! A newly elected “non-lawyer” faces a large learning curve in the first few years and may experience considerable downtime in learning legal research and rules of procedure. As a licensed practicing attorney, the transition from attorney to justice of the peace is seamless. The justice of the peace position will require me to apply the same law that I currently advocate, so I am ready to do this on the first day!
“The only source of knowledge is experience.”
Albert Einstein
Fairness
The scales are often used to symbolize justice. I believe the scales represent the balance between the power of the state and the rights of the people. In other words, a justice of the peace must be centered and free from biases that would tilt the scale to one side or the other.
As a justice of the peace, I believe my role is to determine the facts of every case based upon all relevant and admissible evidence and correctly apply the governing law with limited discretion and power to ensure impartiality and fairness to all.
“ These men ask for just the same thing, fairness, and fairness only. This, so far as in my power, they, and all others, shall have. ”
Abraham Lincoln
Respect
The American Bar Association defines "judicial temperament" as having compassion, decisiveness, open-mindedness, sensitivity, courtesy, patience, freedom from biased and commitment to equal justice.
A judge must treat everyone with dignity, by being polite and courteous, listening carefully, being patient considering that litigation involves human emotions and that the courtroom is maybe not a familiar or comfortable place for most people.
A judge must strive to be the embodiment of justice to the extent that the party understands and feels that they have had access to a fair hearing regardless of the outcome of the case.
“Today's Constitution is a realistic document of freedom only because of several corrective amendments. Those amendments speak to a sense of decency and fairness that I and other Blacks cherish.”
Thurgood Marshall
