Special Judge Martha Oakes

Special Judges are not voted on by the People.  They are appointed and have no oversight except by the District Judge who appoints them.  The state allows for Special Judges to help with overburdened court dockets, but when they’ve “served” for as many years as many of our Special Judges have served, they either need to be added as District Judges, which allow for a vote by the People, or they need to be removed from the court.  The People deserve a judicial system that is responsive and responsible to the people they are supposed to serve.