Q&A
Why Do I Want to Serve Washington County as a Judge?
​​​​​I want to serve the people of Wisconsin as a judge because I believe my varied life and professional experiences will help guide me to apply the rule of law as given by higher courts to the facts of the cases presented and arrive at fair and equitable decisions whether that be a criminal case, a family dispute, a civil suit or other matter.
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I grew up in a very close, middle-class family with three sisters. We typically did not have more than a paycheck to live on. In my own adult life, we had times that money was scarce and times of plenty. College was something I earned, working and finding ways to pay for it on my own. I am a father of three adult children now, all having graduated college in the past six years. I have lived through the experience of a broken marriage and divorce with their mother. I have now learned again what it means to love and be loved once more as I will be married later this year when I will become a stepfather to my fiancé’s three children. I learned about service and teamwork in the Marine Corps. As a lawyer, I have represented many diverse clients in many diverse situations. My clients included businesses in commercial disputes. I have represented people that lost jobs, large sums of money or credit due to wrongful acts of others. Some of my clients were denied medical treatment and benefit claims after being injured at work. I have counseled prospective clients out of lawsuits when I did not see that legal relief was available. I started my career as a prosecutor, then later in life represented people in defense of criminal charges, and I have since returned to representing the people of Wisconsin as a prosecutor—arguably one the best jobs one can have as a trial attorney. I have come to know people at their best and worst, as I have come to know myself from these experiences.
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With these experiences, I will listen to the people putting their trust in the court; I will judge their disputes fairly; I will treat them with respect; and I will uphold the integrity of the office in which I serve with the highest personal moral standards and work ethic. This is the type of judge I have always most respected regardless of the outcome. People may disagree with the result in a case but accept it because they believe it was a decision free of bias and deliberately made based on the court’s understanding of the law. Wisconsin rightfully expects that kind of person in the judiciary, and I believe I can be that judge.​​​​​​​​
What is the Proper Role of a Judge?
The proper role of a judge is primarily to uphold the integrity of the office.
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The integrity of the office for a trial court is upheld by following the rule of law as given by the higher courts, refraining from legislating from the bench, being free of personal or political influence, and maintaining decorum in the courtroom. A judge must know the law, whether from prior experience or by learning it when knowledge is lacking. A judge must recognize personal prejudices and biases and then understand how these may play a part in the judge’s own decision-making to avoid letting them influence judicial decisions. Listening to the parties, witnesses, lawyers, and other participants in the process is also necessary, and communicating decisions in a way that shows the judge has listened and understood the parties even if the judge didn’t agree with them. A judge should also treat people with respect, ensure that the parties treat each other with respect, and ensure that the parties also treat the office with respect.
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Being a judge is a privilege ultimately given by the people. The focus should be on the office, not the person. A judge’s role should be to honor the office by example, living according to the values of the community the judge serves, acting with dignity and maintaining a high moral character consistent with the judicial code of ethics. A judge must respect the office as much as the judge expects others to do.