Voted in Jeff County. So many candidates running unopposed. Particularly in judicial races?
Wonder why? I thought most attorneys aspired to be judges?
Wonder why? I thought most attorneys aspired to be judges?
Why so many unopposed?
- Thread starter Kybluedude
- Start date
Several reasons: Incumbent judges are very tough to beat, because the average Joe Q Public has no idea what they do or whether they are very effective or not.
District Judges only make like $110K and Circuit Judges Judges like $130K, which is a good living, but no where what good attorneys in decent sized towns can make. And running for election in a big populated county like Louisville, Lexington, can easily cost six figures, or several times what the position pays. The Franklin County opponent in the judge race has spent $600K trying to beat Phil Shepherd. Chief Justice Minton is trying to get the legislature to fund judicial salaries much better, have really fallen behind the curve financially.
Personally, I think District Judge is glorified part time work, civil cases < $5000, small claims, probate, misdemeanors and traffic court, maybe the occasional tough decision on grand jury hearings.
But Circuit Court is a very tough job, all the big civil cases, civil rights, and felonies, up to and including death penalty cases. You damn sure earn your money and then some.
In short, the job is not appealing to a lot of attorneys.
District Judges only make like $110K and Circuit Judges Judges like $130K, which is a good living, but no where what good attorneys in decent sized towns can make. And running for election in a big populated county like Louisville, Lexington, can easily cost six figures, or several times what the position pays. The Franklin County opponent in the judge race has spent $600K trying to beat Phil Shepherd. Chief Justice Minton is trying to get the legislature to fund judicial salaries much better, have really fallen behind the curve financially.
Personally, I think District Judge is glorified part time work, civil cases < $5000, small claims, probate, misdemeanors and traffic court, maybe the occasional tough decision on grand jury hearings.
But Circuit Court is a very tough job, all the big civil cases, civil rights, and felonies, up to and including death penalty cases. You damn sure earn your money and then some.
In short, the job is not appealing to a lot of attorneys.
Because even if you try to get into office to do good the crap drags you down. I don’t know why anyone, outside of narcissist and egomaniac would run for any office.
I have no idea how anyone willingly agrees to be family court judge.
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Noticed for the first time so many women incumbents and running for offices. Particularly for representatives and judgeships. I bet 70% on Jefferson’s ballot.
I’m as apolitical as can be but the turnover might be a good thing. Time will tell. So much division and polarization to the point I think the 2 party system needs to go.
You could not pay me enough, hell, being a divorce lawyer for a short time early in my career was miserable, cannot imagine listening to it every day as a judge.
Yes and beyond the horrific child neglect and abuse cases, the rest of your week is mostly spent having to listen to people act in the most petty manner possible toward their ex and/or use their child(ren) as a pawn in a power game.
Other than adoptions, it is basically the worst of humanity this side of Dahmer and the Mexican cartels.
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