A candidate has made public campaign statements in the Lincoln Parish Journal and other media saying that “a judge who keeps a private practice on the side still has clients to please and money to make. The lawyers who come before him in court may be the same lawyers he is negotiating against in his private cases the next day.”
The candidate also stated he believed maintaining a separate law practice can create competing professional obligations and raise questions about potential conflicts of interest. He further stated “if you were sued by a lawyer that’s also a judge, how fair do you think that would be in front of a jury? If the judgeship is his only job, the public never has to worry about that.”
This is a false issue because judges at all levels from City Court to the Supreme Court all know that when issues arise that could cause for any conflict of interest, judge are required by law to to recuse themselves.
- Louisiana Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 3 (C) – establishes a judge’s ethical duty to disqualify themselves when required by law or applicable Supreme Court rules.
- Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Article 151 – Governs recusal in civil cases
Surely this kind of campaign statement is not deliberate, but a mistake from not having the right experience and understanding of the law. Either way, it is an unacceptable action for a candidate running for Ruston City Court judge.
All candidates in the judge’s race committed to being full-time, so that’s not an issue.
Mike Smith is an experienced full-time prosecutor who is available 24/7 to victims, law enforcement, investigators, probation personnel and court staff.
Mike has stated publicly that is wife, Danielle, a partner in their law firm, will step up and manage and run the law firm if Mike is elected so he can serve full-time.
Look for more information about other issues that must be responded to in upcoming Lincoln Parish Journal editions.
This is a paid advertorial from the Mike Smith Campaign.
The above information has been provided by a political campaign. Unless otherwise noted, the Lincoln Parish Journal publishing staff does not endorse specific candidates or ballot measures.
