CANDIDATE: JP judges don’t have to be lawyers

I am disappointed and disconsolate regarding the recent article published in The Maricopa Monitor about several candidates running for justice of the peace who were not qualified to run for such an office. I am also saddened that a community news outlet such as The Maricopa Monitor would print a misleading and slanted article so lacking in necessary research.

I am running for justice of the peace in Maricopa/Stanfield precinct 8, not magistrate for the city of Maricopa. Of course, this is not the forum for me or candidates running for this office to state positions, flaunt qualifications, or “stump” for votes.” It is, however, one of the only outlets we have to teach and perhaps enlighten readers, citizens and all who have voices in our community about the office we seek. It is also a venue we have to correct misleading headlines and articles appearing in media.

Justice of the Peace courts throughout Arizona, many other states, and even Canada, do not require only attorneys be permitted to serve. There is a good and solemn reason for that: Our justice courts belong to the people of the communities they serve. They are courts of limited jurisdiction. One does not need a law degree for election to this office.

Citizens do not need to hire attorneys to assist them appearing in justice courts to file small claims, defend traffic citations, file and argue landlord/tenant disputes, ask for injunctions preventing harassment, orders of protection, or even defend many criminal misdemeanor charges, among a plethora of other legal matters.

The concept of “The Peoples’ Court” is the major reason that compelled our legislative bodies, and those of countless other states, to enact laws allowing citizens to decide who among them – under the reasonable and common person or community member standard – is qualified to serve and cast their votes for people like them; of and from the community and by the community or precinct they serve.

Many towns and cities in our state have codes and regulations requiring city court judges or city magistrates to have law degrees. Others do not. Our city does, in fact, have a regulation that our city magistrate be an attorney. This does not preclude non-attorneys from running for justice of the peace. This situation can be remedied should the justice of the peace elected not be an attorney. The court can be shared or the city charter can be changed. Most importantly, it costs the city no more to have a city magistrate and justice of the peace as the salaries come from different sources.

Should you elect a justice of the peace who is qualified to serve, but is not an attorney, the city of Maricopa could either pay a city magistrate or change the charter, as many cities and towns have done, so the justice of the peace also serves as city magistrate.

Please do not be misled by “spin” and private political agendas, mine included. A “Laundry List” precluding non-attorneys from running for justice of the peace is misleading and just wrong. Nearly 90 percent of all court cases in the United States are first heard in justice courts, many presided over by non-attorneys.

When you go to the polls and vote, please remember our justice court belongs to you and us all. Vote from whom you think has the best qualifications. For our justice court, the court belonging to the people, an attorney may not be the best choice to serve. State law has given you that choice. Know the difference.

As responsible members of the community, do your own research, get involved, and vote for the candidate you believe can give back our court to the community, repair the damage done over the last 13 years, and insure it runs fairly, firmly with accountability. A justice court belonging to the people must be run with emotional intelligence, humility yet with authority, not ego.