By Ponce D. Clay
It is uncontroverted that Judges should reflect the citizens in their communities, its values, and cultural idiosyncrasies. This in turn will enhance and preserve the impartiality, fairness, and competency role of the bench in rendering decisions and addressing the issues of the Parties seeking resolutions before the court.
For purposes of this discussion, I will focus on the district level (“the People’s Court”) because generally, that’s where most people will have initial contact with the judicial system and bring forth matters seeking resolution.
- Encourage and Evaluate
It is equally important for residents to encourage qualified attorneys that reside in the community in which they practice in support of judicial office. Evaluate the potential judicial candidate on their experience, civic involvement, legal reputation, and personal temperament. Also, invite and introduce the potential judicial candidate to your respective social organizations and settings to get a closer perspective about the judicial candidate’s ideals.
- Contribute Talents and Influence.
Deliberately leverage the full weight and influence of your social, personal and professional networks in getting the judicial candidate elected. Make the effort to support your candidate by contributing time to ensuring their presence is known beyond the legal community and into the community at large.
Volunteer to canvass, phone bank, or do door knocks with the judicial candidate as they traverse through the neighborhoods. Increase visibility of the judicial candidate by sharing information on social media.
- Campaign Contributions
It cannot be stated enough, a judicial campaign can be incredibly expensive. To achieve the goal of having a representative judge at the district court, give $5, $10, or $15…micro donations can be just as powerful as larger contributions. The community’s voice and its choice are heard loudest through the strength and application of its dollars.
- Vote, Vote, Vote
Although it may seem obvious, participate, and Vote!
Let your choice of a candidate be known by saying it on the ballot.
In some cases, judicial candidates are listed at the bottom or on the back of a ballot. Therefore, carefully examine the entire ballot to ensure that you have completed the judicial candidate portion.
Cultural background is one of the tools that a judicial officer employs in its analysis and decisions. It reinforces equitable application of the law by incorporating cultural perspective to their decisions. When individuals are called to face the court for criminal matters, when court intervention is sought for eviction or domestic resolutions or when city ordinances must be applied to the maintenance and order of everyday citizenry, it’s important that a judge from the community and of the community is present on the bench.
Ponce D. Clay is a member of Wolverine Bar Association and the Founder and Managing Attorney at Clay Law PLC; a general practice law firm. He is a graduate of Morehouse College and obtained his Juris Doctorate from the University of Detroit Mercy Law School. A retired Naval Officer, Ponce served over 20 years in various positions of leadership throughout the world. Ponce is a Contributor for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education and adjunct faculty for the Trial Skills Course at the WMU-Cooley Law School.
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