Staff Writer
As early voting continues and the Aug. 24 primary looms on the calendar, the Southside Business Men’s Club continued its efforts to host political candidates at its weekly Wednesday meetings held at the San Jose Country Club.
The Aug. 11 meeting featured a forum with judicial candidates Sam Garrison and Mark Hulsey III. They are running in the only opposed judicial race in the Fourth Judicial Circuit. They are running for a seat that will be vacated when Judge William Wilkes retires.
The candidates were first given a chance to introduce themselves and explain why they were running for a seat on the bench of the Fourth Circuit.
“There is not a more important position that directly affects the lives of those in the community than that of a judge,” said Garrison, a senior prosecutor in the homicide and major crimes unit of the State Attorney’s Office. “A judge has the ability to allow police to come into your home in the middle of the night. A judge has the ability to take a life in response to the taking of a life. A judge has the ability to take children away from their parents. That’s why I feel this is one of the most important jobs in our society.”
Hulsey said both his legal and life experiences would help him fulfill the important role in society. He is qualified as an expert child custody evaluator and certified family mediator and has practiced in family, juvenile, civil and probate law for more than three decades.
“I believe my legal and life experience give me the ability to serve the community well as a judge,” said Hulsey, who runs his own law firm. “As a judge, I would work to get to the root of the problem, which is the kids. We need to help them through mentoring and education.”
The candidates were asked how they would handle an unprofessional lawyer.
“The judge needs to be involved with team building with prosecution and defense, so they know what is expected of them in the courtroom,” said Hulsey.
“Judges are responsible for running the court with professionalism, efficiency and courtesy,” said Garrison. “People look to the judge for that.”
The candidates also were asked how judges can help prevent children from being involved with the court.
“I think judges have a responsibility to be involved with the community and actively involved with youth to help make sure they don’t end up in the court system,” said Garrison.
“Currently, there is a lack of respect for the law, the legal community,” said Hulsey. “The judiciary needs to help with educating the public on the importance of the law.”
Members were limited in the types of questions they could ask the candidates because Canon 7 of the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct prohibits the candidates from making statements that appear to commit them on legal issues likely to come before them in court.
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