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Saint Croix County judicial candidates stress impartiality, qualifications at New Richmond forum
Summary
Three candidates for Saint Croix County Circuit Court Branch 2 — Heather Amos, James “Jamie” Johnson and Brian Smithstead — discussed qualifications, judicial philosophy and community engagement at a candidate forum hosted by Bridal Memorial Library in New Richmond.
Three candidates for Saint Croix County Circuit Court Branch 2 appeared at a candidates forum hosted by Bridal Memorial Library in New Richmond, where they emphasized nonpartisanship, experience and courtroom preparedness as reasons voters should consider them.
Heather Amos, corporation counsel for Saint Croix County and a candidate for Branch 2, said her 22 years in county government give her relevant experience. "I understand what county services are available to those individuals that appear before the judges," Amos said. She said judges should base decisions on "the facts and the law" and avoid imposing personal views.
James Johnson, who introduced himself as Jamie and said he has practiced law for more than 37 years, highlighted a long record of community service and dispute resolution, including serving multiple terms on his local school board. Johnson said his background in mediation and running school-board expulsion hearings taught him to listen and make difficult decisions.
Brian Smithstead, the deputy district attorney in Saint Croix County, emphasized courtroom experience in complex criminal cases. "I'm the only candidate that's been in private practice," he said, adding that he has worked as a public defender and a prosecutor. Smithstead framed that mix of roles as preparation to run a busy criminal docket.
All three candidates repeatedly said judges should be impartial and avoid using the bench to make policy. "Judges should not be changing the law," Smithstead said, and other candidates echoed that a judge's role is to apply statutes and constitutional text to the facts of a case.
The forum, moderated by Monica Lavold, director of Bridal Memorial Library, followed timed opening and closing statements and a set of questions prepared by the organizers. Amos asked voters to support her in the Feb. 18 election and again on April 1 if a second round is required.
The League of Women Voters staffed registration tables at the event. The forum did not include public questions from the audience; candidates answered questions from the moderator and offered brief rebuttals and closing remarks.
