View the Kitsap Sun editorial board’s discussion with Bremerton Municipal Court judge candidates Ed Wolfe and James Docter. One of the topics sure to be of interest to Sun readers: about 22 minutes in, they each offered views on issues surrounding the city’s red light cameras.
Find links to past election-related videos with the candidates on our elections site, http://elections.kitsapsun.com and find out about upcoming live broadcasts at kitsapsun.com/2009/editorial-videos
– Angela Dice
Ed Wolfe doesn’t care about your rights!! All he cares about is his efficiencies as he stated during the interview and doesn’t have time for the Law to detract him from his mission. I have faced him when he was a pro tem for the County and he wouldn’t listen to my arguments. If your’e not a lawyer and not in his li’l club you will not prevail in his courtroom. This guy has no business being a judge.
Bremerton needs a change.Doctor has 12 years expierance but Ed Wolfe has been involved in this community for a number of years now and has done so much to make Bremerton a place people want to come. He has touched so many peoples lives since being In Bremerton. When I was in court I have watched him listen to arguments and efficiently make the correct decision. James Doctor is just afraid because someone is finally running against him. What has this guy done to make the Bremerton safer? You still see in the local paper almost everday about people getting repeated DUI’s and drug problems. The real question is Bremerton becoming any safer with James Doctor at judge? No
I hate to say it, but in the video Ed Wolfe gets served by Judge Doctor.
James Doctor should continue to serve Kitsap County as Judge Doctor.
In this interview, Judge Doctor held himself and the office in a unbiased, fair and neutral position…exactly as a judge should do before hearing the evidence.
In my opinion… Sharon O’Hara
What’s going on here?
Wow. That video was packed with a lot. Most striking, in my opinion was the difference in the candidates’ styles.
Mr. Wolfe appeared to be attempting to persuade the voters the reasons why he is qualified. While it’s not the most appealing thing to listen to someone expressly touting their own virtues, it is probably is okay, since it is a direct and honest approach to trying to persuade the voters.
In contrast, Judge Docter came across as much slicker. To me, he seemed both evasive (talking about what he wanted to talk about more than about what the questions were) and unnecessarily nasty to Mr. Wolfe, both generally and specifically with the claims that Mr. Wolfe doesn’t know what’s going on in the court.
The interesting part about Judge Docters’ current claims that Mr. Wolfe doesn’t get it, or isn’t qualified, is the fact that Judge Docter picked Mr. Wolfe to serve as pro tem judge (i.e., as Judge Docter’s replacment when he is out of the courtroom with some frequency) — and kept him in that position for six years! If Judge Docter truly believed that Mr. Wolfe couldn’t handle the job, didn’t understand the court, etc., all the charges that he levied during this interview, what does Judge Docter’s selection and continued appointment of Mr. Wolfe say about Judge Docter? Poor judgment? Inattention (at best) or indifference (at worst) to whether a qualified judge is presiding over his courtroom and protecting the rights of those that come to that courtroom? An appointment made by Judge Docter to gain some personal political gain for himself? Regardless of which motivation you ascribe to Judge Docter, it’s not going to be something we want motivating our judge. The alternative explanation is that Judge Docter truly does believe that Mr. Wolfe is qualified — and has believed that he is qualified for over six years — but is choosing now to dishonestly claim something else in his election claim because he believes that the dishonest claim will personally benefit him. Also not something we want in our judge. Where are the ethics there Judge Docter?
So much more to say, but this is already so long, so I will only point out that Judge Docter was flatly wrong when he said that sworn statements are not used in paper contests of tickets. He has to know this (or if he doesn’t — boy, he’s missing some funadmental information basic to judging). And, OF COURSE it would be more efficient for ALL involved to allow written contests of tickets. Judge Docter can’t truly believe that it doesn’t take less time to read a written statment and watch a video than it takes to call cases, have the witness come to the front of the courtroom when it’s their turn, get situation, swear in the witnesess, take live testimony, watch a video, issue a ruling, wait for people to pack up and leave the courtroom, and then repeate the process over and over. When Judge Docter said that paper contests wouldn’t be more efficient, he either was truly clueless about the process (doubtful), or he was intentionally misleading the audience. Again, where are the ethics Judge Docter?
I will not be voting for Judge Doctor, he is unmerciful!!He does not know how to show mercy! There was a time when he did the following:
In traffic court one day…a mother stood before him with evidence in her hand for why she had good reason to be speeding to the hospital the day she was pulled over.
Apparently, her son had an accident where his leg got broke and the bone was poking out through the skin….her neighbor had run over to help her..She lived in Seabeck..her husband was at work with their only car. Her neighbor, offered her his car…while he stayed behind…maybe to watch children..that were to young to take care of themselves…I don’t know…..All I know is that she was speeding on the way to the hospital when she was pulled over…
The patroman, instead of assessing the situation and escorting her to the hospital…proceeded to chk registration and insurance…the car had none. So she was given a ticket for speeding, and haveing no insurance.
Well, when it was time to go to court …she showed all the evidence of her son’s injury. And why it was imparitive that she get to the hospital ASAP!
The not so good, Judge Doctor, slammed her with the full penelty because he said that she should hav asked her neighbor if he had insurance or not before leaving.
What person, is going to be thinking of insurance and other paper work, when ones son is laying bleeding to death and a bone sticking out for their skin? Not me! What say you? Was this not unjust and unmerciful?
Do we need this kind of judge in our Surpeme Court? I think NOT!!