Sedgwick County Judgeships
2008-11-01 11:51:00
District Court Judge - Division
Answer: Carol Bacon has a single guiding principle that drives her campaign: a judge must apply the law to all parties with integrity, insight, impartiality and common sense.
Applying the Letter of the Law: In our modern times, judicial integrity is under constant siege from political and personal interests. The decision of a judge cannot rest on such interests, but must remain focused on the law and the facts presented in a court of law. A judge is bound, legally, morally, and ethically, by the law as it is written in constitutions, statutes, rules, and regulations. No matter the personal opinion of the individual judge, a judge must apply the laws as written to the facts of each case. Judges are not elected to create new laws, or to question the wisdom or desirability of the laws that are enacted. The rule of law is the most basic underpinning of a free society, and it can only be guarded by a judiciary intent on applying the law as written. Carol Bacon is committed to doing just that. She understands that her role is to apply the letter of the law, which the people of the State of Kansas, through their duly elected legislators, have seen fit to pass. Carol does not have any history of involvement with elected politics, other than as a judge, and she will resist any political influence that would have the courts used as political tools rather than instruments of justice.
Ability, not Popularity: In a system where judges are elected, there is a danger that these important positions will be filled based upon popularity rather than ability. Yet a judge has one of the most intellectually demanding jobs in our society, and the best measure of any judicial candidate’s qualification is his or her legal ability and judicial insight. The law is voluminous, complex, and ever changing. A judge must have a vast store of knowledge of the law, intellectual prowess to interpret the law, a broad base of experience from which to understand the law, and the wisdom with which to apply the law. Carol Bacon not only possesses these qualities, but also has an 11-year record of serving on the bench to prove her merit as a judicial candidate.
Carol’s trial experience began in 1984 when she joined the public defender’s office. As a trial attorney, she handled more than 1,000 criminal cases. In 1993, she became a District Court Judge in Sedgwick County. Carol has also presided in courtrooms in Shawnee, Reno and Sumner counties, and was selected to serve on panels with the Kansas Court of Appeals. Her work in the Juvenile Department earned her an award for her “years of service and dedication to the children of Sedgwick County,” from local child advocacy group, Roots and Wings. After leaving the bench in 2001, Carol became the Chief Attorney in the Juvenile Division of the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. She is a trained mediator and regularly presides as a pro-tem judge in District Court and Municipal Court. Carol has also served on the Kansas Criminal Law Advisory Committee and on the Sedgwick County Law Library Board of Trustees. She served as president of the Wichita Child Guidance Center board of directors, and on the board of directors of the Wichita Children’s Home and Regional Prevention Center. Carol is the right candidate for Division 1, Sedgwick County District Court Judge.
A Balanced Perspective: Carol Bacon knows that justice can only exist when the law is applied impartially to all parties, regardless of wealth, social status, race, or gender. Fairness is integral to the very meaning of the word “justice.” Part of the fairness of the judiciary must be measured in how well it represents the various perspectives of the informed legal community. In Sedgwick County today, there are 26 active district court judges. Of these, there is only one woman serving on the bench. It cannot be questioned that men and women are equal as human beings and must be treated equally under the law. However, it must also be acknowledged that, while equal, men and women are different. Those differences manifest themselves in many significant and beneficial ways, including differences concerning how best to apply the laws to the facts of particular cases. A just legal system must appreciate these differences and allow the different perspectives brought by male and female lawyers to be represented in the judiciary. Carol Bacon is not more qualified to be a judge simply by being a female. Rather, she is a highly qualified judicial candidate that can also help to balance the current composition of Sedgwick County’s court system.
