District Judges

[zoe10850]

Just thought I would separate the judges from the tax renewal pages as they are not related.

Anyway SB, I do not think judges are overpaid, but I do not think they are underpaid either. There is no shortage of potential candidates.

I am bothered by the trend in government to "hide" salaries of elected officials. For example look up salaries of Judges, DA, Sheriff, Assessor, Clerk of Ct in the revised statutes, and then try to figure out what they really make.

My previous comment on judges "supplemental pay" was in reference to the fact that judges are state employees already, and state supplemental pay is redundant and a way to grant an indirect raise. I do not think this makes judges overpaid, I simply object to the method of compensation.

I am not really bothered by the fact that judges are not at work 40 hours a week, but I am bothered that the court dockets are always way behind. The jail is full of inmates awaiting trial who cannot make bail. May be DA's fault, may be judges fault. My point is that if said parties do not show up for work, it is hard to clear dockets. I think several of the judges work very hard to keep up with docket load, but all of them do not. No one should have to sit in jail because judge or DA cannot find time. What if that was your family member ?

Lawyers are paid for what they know. Judges job is to rule on points of law as presented in court. Experience helps.

[sb]

Hey Zoe! Been stuck in Scuba classes all week. Don't have much time, but thank you for starting a seperate thread. I'll get back to you next week, if I don't drown first!!!


"I am not a FISH!!!"

[zoe10850]

Good luck w/scuba training and I hope you do not drown or suffer any other missfortune; we need all types of posters, especially those on "inside". I will not pick on judges while you are gone !!

[sb]

I'm BAAAACk!! I chickened out at the last minute and didn't go into the water. I am going to take some time to think it over and practice the skill (clearing the mask) that I can't get over.

We can debate tomorrow. I am not a fish, but I am very tired!!!

[Cajunguy]

SB,

Not to hijack the thread, but as for your scuba classes - go for it. It will be the most fun you've ever had with your clothes on.

I got certified many years ago, and there is nothing like it. It's a whole "nuther" world down there.

If someone had told me years earlier that I would ever jump off of a perfectly good boat in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, I would have had to tell them that they were nutso. Until I did it the first time, anyway.

If you ever get to go to someplace where the water is REALLY clear (Cozumel, Virgin Islands, San Juan, etc.) you will ask yourself why you didn't do it years earlier. It's really beautiful down there (in the water).
Good luck and go for it.

(Now back to your regular scheduled thread.)

.

[sb]

cajunguy: I tried, but chickened out at the last minute. My hubby got certified as an Advanced Diver this past weekend with our friend. My whole class got certified as open water divers. We were at Pattaya (Thailand) which is the Gulf of Thailand. My hubby said it would have been a very bad experience for me b/c the water was like soup. He was actually surprised that the instructor didn't ditch for the first timers. Of course the second day was clear which was the day I didn't go! I am an avid photographer and I want to be able to take some underwater shots. My hubby brought back so great pics.

I can't clear my mask when I have to flood it on purpose. I keep sucking water up my nose. I can do it once I am down and water just happens to get in my mask. Everyone said we needed more pool time before we went out, but that isn't how they do it here. I will practice and maybe go on a dive in Jan to get certified. I'll keep everyone posted!!!!

[Cajunguy]

sb said:

I can't clear my mask when I have to flood it on purpose. I keep sucking water up my nose. I can do it once I am down and water just happens to get in my mask. Everyone said we needed more pool time before we went out, but that isn't how they do it here. I will practice and maybe go on a dive in Jan to get certified. I'll keep everyone posted!!!!

Darlin', you don't suck water through your nose, you BLOW the water out of your mask using your nose.

That's kinda funny anyway.

Good luck with the certification. You will enjoy it, that I can guarantee. Have fun.

[sb]

I KNOW that, but I can't help it. My instruct kept telling me "like when you sneeze" but I pinch my nose when I sneeze!!!!

I will get it eventually!!!!!

[zoe10850]

SB: Watch that movie "Open Water".

[sb]

Saw it a couple of years ago and informed my hubby that he just lost ALL chances of me diving! Then I started thinking about my personality and there is no way in HELL they would leave me behind! I am a Southern Girl (loud, big hair, & make-up)! OOPS, I meant beautiful & charming!

That couple was from Baton Rouge. I didn't know that, but my hubby says he remembers when all that happened. Sooooo sad.

[sb]

Okay, now back to our regular broadcasting.............

Yippee!!! We defeated the taxes!!! ;D Zoe, I also hate that politicians try to hide salaries. It really should not be hard for the public to look into how their money is being spent, but it is made difficult for a reason. I think it is hilarious that they sent officers over to watch Denise Skinner at the Airport commission. I would have been jumping for joy if they sent officers over to monitor me! It is meant as intimidation, but it serves the purpose to keep her from liability. She had official witnesses that the documents were returned where she found them! What a bunch of bozos!

I always maintained that I had nothing to hide in my budget. Every expenditure had LOADS of back-up. I know people who purchase things for $998.99 just so they don't have to go through a bunch of trouble with bids and such. Anytime I looked at a purchase over $100, I followed the 3 bid thing and attached everything together. I would even apply for rebates. One of the reasons my program did not go through LCG was because they tell you where you are going to buy stuff, even if you can get it cheaper somewhere else!

Someone mentioned the audit for the judiciary. They are not behind on their audit. It might be that it wasn't posted or that the current audit is still being prepared. I participated in the 2004-2005 audit, so I know that it has been done. Their fiscal year runs the same as the feds, Oct-Sept. The state's fiscal year runs from July-June. It is a BIG mess when you have to deal with funds from the local, state, and fed govt b/c they have different time periods.

[sb]

Oh, I forgot about the court dockets. The court dockets are behind because of a number of other factors. The judges have tried to implement a more efficient structure but have hit some brick walls. The way the DA's office is structured is a major problem. There aren't enough ID's and the ones they do have are on limited time due to money.

Sorry, you aren't going to get much sympathy from me about getting people out of jail. I have advised many a parent that they needed to leave their child in jail to keep the kid safe. Safe as in safer than they were on the outside. I have also advised my parents to leave my brother in jail after his second drunk and disorderly, etc... arrest. If you can't learn the first time, you don't get a Get Out of Jail card.

Did I mention that my hubby used to be in Bail Bonds? We are a bunch of hard a**es.

[zoe10850]

Glad you are back SB.

My turn to clarify. No one should have to sit in jail for months, and yes, years waiting to be tried. Believe me, I would just as soon shoot many of the criminals because of things they have done, but this is America, and everyone has that right of trial. If they are in fact guilty, they should be sentenced and turned over to the state to serve time.

If the IDB has insufficient funds to pay attorney's and provide counsel to indigents, the court should order the parish government to address the problem. You know, cut the beads & meals and fund the lawyers. No one should be expected to work for free. If the fault is in the DA's office, the judges should demand that the DA come before them and explain the situation. If the problem is the judges not devoting adequate time to clear dockets, well, you get the picture. The power of court order is very strong. But the problem cannot be resolved unless people are aware. Sorry about your brother.

With regard to audit; state law requires annual audits, and they MUST be completed within 6 months of the close of a fiscal year. The Legislative Auditor scans them and makes them available as received and reviewed. My point was that no audit has been POSTED for judges since 2003 fiscal period, so I, as a citizen cannot see how much money the judges are sitting on. If you know for a fact that the audit was done, where is it ?

Bear in mind that fees, taxes, assessments etc. are levied to provide specific services or to fund specific programs. No public agency should hoard money, and if they are able to do so, their fees should be reduced or eliminated. No good purpose is served by any public agency sitting on large cash reserves. They are telling you that they know better than you how to spend the money we have allowed them. Example: Clerk of Court was bragging only a few months ago that he had a $7,000,000 surplus on a budget of approx $4,000,000. He just raised his fees by 15-20%. How on earth does he justify this? He is, as far as I am concerned, stealing from the very people who must use the clerk's office. Ditto for the judges, who have raised their costs on suits filed when they have millions in surplus. Use up the money you have first before you ask for more. Are you going to hoard money by raising fees and then claim you are a fiscal conservative ? More RINO's.

It is great that you operated in a conservative way with your budget, but that is not the case with many of the public agencies. I feel, and I think that many of the posters feel we can handle our money better than government. If a need is justified, like a new courthouse, let's figure how to rectify the problem. Whining about security, or how computers and desk heaters overload electrical circuits, or asbestos in the old jail is non-sensical when everyone knows that the fire marshall is the one who forbid the heaters, computer networks can be wireless, and computers use less electricity than a light bulb. Just tell us the truth. If a judge feels like he is underpaid, why would they write laws that make it impossible to determine their salary. Same as congress writing laws that say if they do not address raises, they get one. It is just plain wrong.

[sb]

Zoe, I found the audit you were looking for I think. Before I could be sure and clarify, my hubby kicked me off the computer last night. I think the audit for 04-05 was posted in Acadia parish instead of Lafayette parish with the rest of them. The 15th, as I am sure you know, is made up of Lafayette, Acadia, & Verm. (That is for everyone who doesn't know.) Laf is the district seat and the audit should have been posted there, but it isn't.

I agree that public agencies should not "horde" money collected, but it is a little more complicated than that. Certain judicial funds are collected by certain judicial departments. Those departments usually govern that money collected even though it all goes into the "general fund". It has to be that way or certain programs would go away. I was responsible for money from the state as my primary fund. That money had certain limitations & requirements on it (read alot of). I also got unexpected money from a fee/fine??? for a fund. It took about a year (or more) to determine the nature (thus the ability to use) that money. Over the year (++) it accumulated. If anything ever happened (which is threatened every year) to my state money, I had enough to do the ethical thing and provide services until my program was able to shut down appropriately. That extra helped me take some of the burden off of taxpayers and place it on law breakers.

I am not saying that some departments (cough, cough Clerks Office) don't take advantage of the situation. It is not all as cut & dry as most people think it should be.

Please don't be sorry for my brother! He learned his lesson, took his butt to Dallas, has a lovely family, and makes LOADS of money! ;D

I totally agree about the terrible way the new courthouse was sold to the public. I have stated many times on TDA forum, that the last thing the judges wanted was to go to the people with a tax. This whole issue started with the last (Comeaux) administration and the judges were told that Pet Shop Boy would work with them to fix the problem. Weeeelllll, not exactly what he promised before the election. That is why they got the latest feasiablity report. They were tired of the crap LCG was pulling and wanted to know what their options really were. The world isn't going to stop at the courthouse just because the tax didn't pass. People will still have major office equipment problems, get stuck in elevators, etc... I do think they could have atleast put forth a blueprint or two before coming to us for cash!

[Dorothy]

Well, it looks like our judges have struck again.

First, the court ruled that even though it is a violation of law to cross subsidize a foray into cable or telephone business with utility income, especially when the rates of LUS are not approved by Public Service nor does LUS pay taxes (I know about the "in lieu" b.s.) that Lafayette may proceed with the endeavor. People, don't expect any rate decreases.

Second, the court threw out the charges on Bob Odom, Commissioner of Agriculture. If there was in fact no substance, why has this lingered so long (4 years). Besides checking gasoline pumps and butcher scales for accuracy, what purpose does this position serve ? Why not a department head under the Governor ?

[LisaS]

I have never understood how a judge could rule contrary to an existing law. It seems to me that if Bob Odom stole thousands of trees, used state employees to plant them on his farm, and when he got caught, repaid the state for the saplings two years later, and now it is okay. And the state will have to pay his legal fees which will no doubt exceed a million dollars.The fair competition act made it illegal to cross subsidize a venture to compete with a private institution, that should be the end of the argument. I cannot help but wonder how it is that our public servants do not know the law after 20 years on the job; The chief of police did not know that wiretapping was illegal without a court order ? Our utility head did not know the fair competition law applied to Lafayette. Even though the court ruled in favor of bureaucrats, some attorney's just made over 1 million dollars. I think Shakespeare was correct:"First we kill the lawyers".

[SeleR]

Because many of those judges are appointed, and they have gone as far as they can in the judicial system. Judges, more than any other, need term limits. They legislate through court order, legislators have term limits, so should the people they approve to sit on the bench.

Bob Odom should do the honorable thing, and step down. Just like Chris Williams should do, and Gov Blanco and Mayor Nagin should have done when shown incompetent. But then honor has nothing to do with politicians in Louisiana.

[sb]

Federal judges are appointed. The rest of them are elected. You have the power through your vote to get rid of most of them including City, District, and Appealate Court judges. The judge that let Bob Odom off the hook is a District Court judge.

[ronnief]

I agree that there should be term limits for judiciary, especially at the city or district level, but I would go further.

I do not think someone in there 30's or 40's is qualified by life experience to sit is judgement of me. I think judges should be 60 to get elected and step down at 70 or 72 years of age. They should NOT have a retirement, especially like the one they have now where they contribute not one thin dime. I think then a judge would hold a special place in society as a person of wisdom and hopefully be fair to litigants. I also think we would weed out the lazy lawyers who choose not to work, but want a retirement. Example, Judge Ronnie Cox retired as a relatively young man, and will draw $100,000 per year for the rest of his life, and should he die before his wife, she will get $50,000 for the rest of her life. That benefit comes courtesy of taxpayers. Try and buy an annuity like that. This is not to question him as a judge, just the whole point of the retirement benefit on top of salary. What do you think his law clerks or secretaries will retire at ? Look at some of our other judges; Keaty, Castle, Duplantier, Michot, all elected at young ages with little experience as an attorney, or for that matter, little experience at working at all.

I would love to get rid of them or at least change the requirements to run for an important position such as that. Judges should be more than just money, or just connections