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 any conflict of interest, judges are required by law 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.
Was this campaign statement a mistake resulting from a lack of experience or understanding of the law or deliberately done to mislead voters? Either way, it is unacceptable and not ethical for a candidate seeking to become Ruston City Court judge. If these misleading statements continue, however, it becomes increasingly difficult to view them as mistakes rather than deliberate attempts to mislead the public.
All candidates in the judge’s race are 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 his 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.
Other issues that have been raised and will be addressed in upcoming editions of the Lincoln Parish Journal include:
- Length of experience versus the right kind of experience
- The experience that best prepares someone to serve as a judge
- Experience serving as an acting magistrate in a city court
This is a paid political 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.
