PELL CITY — Approximately 80 people attended a community luncheon to learn more about candidates for St. Clair County’s new judgeship Wednesday.The Dialogue Days Community Luncheon, a project of the Leadership Pell City Alumni Association and Jefferson State Community College, allowed attendees to learn more about the candidates for St. Clair County district judge. This particular program was a joint effort between the Leadership Pell City Alumni Association, Jefferson State Community College, and the St. Clair News-Aegis, and was held at the Pell City campus of Jefferson State Community College.
Four of the five candidates for St. Clair County District Judge attended the forum: Stephanie Bain, Sarah Brazzolotto, Stan Brown and Robert Minor. Candidate Ken Bonham was not present at the forum.
Moderated by St. Clair News-Aegis Editor Bill Britt, each candidate was given five minutes to tell attendees about themselves and why they are seeking the position. The candidates then answered questions relating to their views on certain issues.
The new judgeship will hear mainly family and civil cases.
“My motto is ‘experience matters,’” said Brown. “That is the most important thing when looking at the judgeship.”
Brown said he has 26 years experience, including trying capital murder cases, serving as a judge in municipalities, and serving as guardian ad litem. A guardian ad litem represents the interests of another person (such as a child) before the court.
Brown said being a good lawyer doesn’t necessarily mean the person would be a good judge.
“The judge has to look at the people who come before them,” he said. “The law is easy. The hard part is judging people.”
Bain said she came from a teaching background before receiving her law degree.
“I was concerned with education problems,” she said.
Bain said dealing with children with special needs in her classroom led her to research legal aspects in dealing with those issues.
“The majority of my practice is in district court, dealing with family court,” she said.
Bain said she is concerned with what goes on with children in St. Clair County.
“I want to help the children and families in our county,” she said.
Minor agreed experience is important but stressed the importance of having a broad range of experience.
“What matters the most is what the voters think,” he said. “The new judge should have integrity and a broad range of experience.”
Minor said his experience working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigating bank fraud and serving with the FBI S.W.A.T. helped give him a broad range of experience in dealing with issues.
“As a lawyer, I have handled just about every type of case out there,” he said. “It is important that whoever sits behind the bench has that broad range of experience.”
Brazzolotto said her experience includes working as a law clerk for two federal judges, working in legal services dealing with emergency family services, serving as a bankruptcy trustee, and serving as guardian ad litem.
“There are many parties involved in family court cases,” she said. “I have represented each of the different parties: parents, children, relatives and DHR (Department of Human Resources).”
Brazzolotto said she also has been a part of the decision-making process while serving as a law clerk and bankruptcy trustee.
“I wrote opinions and made decisions,” she said. “And as guardian ad litem, I make recommendations to judges, concluding with opinions on how the case should be decided.”
The candidates were also asked where they see themselves in 10 years, since some people use one office as a steppingstone for another office.
Bain said she does not intend to go anywhere else if elected judge.
“The judgeship is important to me because of the children and our families,” she said. “I hope to get elected and re-elected.”
Bain said she would not rule out the possibility of running for a circuit judge position but wants to continuing working with children.
Brazzolotto said she is only running because of families and children.
“I do not have any plans to run for circuit judge later,” she said. “I want to get elected and re-elected.”
Minor said that, in 10 years he would be wherever God wanted him to be.
“I do what God wants me to do,” he said. “I have prayed about it. There is a burden on my heart to do a ministry for children.”
Minor said the judgeship has a platform to do things in the community.
“I have no intent to run for another office, but will do what God wants,” he said.
Brown said he hopes to serve two six-year terms.
“In 10 years, I hope to be two years away from retirement,” he said. “I won’t run for anything else.”
