The Memphis Bar Association sent its "Judicial Qualification Poll" to more than 3,000 local attorneys and got 795 responses. MBA this year changed its questionnaire so that it asked respondents to vote definitively on the question of "Which candidate is best qualified to serve?" In all, there are five judicial races, but just two in which there are no incumbents.
In Criminal Court Division 3, assistant district attorney Bobby Carter just edged prominent criminal defense attorney Gerald Skahan, 207-188, with 171 offering no opinion and Glenn Wright (90 votes) and Larry H. Nance (82 votes) also receiving more than 10 percent support.
In General Sessions Criminal Court Division 7, Janet L. Shipman (125 votes), William D. "Billy" Bond (115) and Bill Anderson Jr. (79) combined to receive more votes than the other 17 candidates combined. Rhonda W. Harris (47) Bryan A. Davis (42) and Herb Lane (35) each got more than 5 percent of support from those who had an opinion. Nine of the 20 candidates got 15 or fewer votes as "most qualified".
In the other three races, MBA respondents seemed to approve of the incumbents, with Circuit Court Division 4 Judge Lorrie Ridder (520 votes, or 79.3 percent of those with an opinion) and General Sessions Division 10 Judge Lee Wilson (376 votes, or 71.1 percent) getting huge majorities, with Circuit Court Division 8 Judge Rynette N. Hurd (287 votes, or 49.3 percent) well in front of Bob Weiss (149 votes, 25.2 percent), Venita Martin (76 votes, or 13.1 percent) and JoeDae Jenkins (70 votes, or 12.0 percent).
For more information, visit www.MemphisBar.org.
In Criminal Court Division 3, assistant district attorney Bobby Carter just edged prominent criminal defense attorney Gerald Skahan, 207-188, with 171 offering no opinion and Glenn Wright (90 votes) and Larry H. Nance (82 votes) also receiving more than 10 percent support.
In General Sessions Criminal Court Division 7, Janet L. Shipman (125 votes), William D. "Billy" Bond (115) and Bill Anderson Jr. (79) combined to receive more votes than the other 17 candidates combined. Rhonda W. Harris (47) Bryan A. Davis (42) and Herb Lane (35) each got more than 5 percent of support from those who had an opinion. Nine of the 20 candidates got 15 or fewer votes as "most qualified".
In the other three races, MBA respondents seemed to approve of the incumbents, with Circuit Court Division 4 Judge Lorrie Ridder (520 votes, or 79.3 percent of those with an opinion) and General Sessions Division 10 Judge Lee Wilson (376 votes, or 71.1 percent) getting huge majorities, with Circuit Court Division 8 Judge Rynette N. Hurd (287 votes, or 49.3 percent) well in front of Bob Weiss (149 votes, 25.2 percent), Venita Martin (76 votes, or 13.1 percent) and JoeDae Jenkins (70 votes, or 12.0 percent).
For more information, visit www.MemphisBar.org.
People, people, people! These are the folks who are in a position to best know who is, and who is not, qualified to be a judge. PLEASE pay attention, 'cause otherwise you'll be voting for someone on a basis that has nothing to do whether they should be (or continue being) a judge.