With three judges retiring and one resigning, there are big changes coming to the Monroe County justice system.
Currently, six of the nine judges on the Monroe County Circuit Court are women. Depending on who wins the election and who the governor appoints to fill Todd’s seat, up to eight of the nine judges on the bench could be women in 2019.
“I think that men and women can both do judging, and I think they bring different talents to it,” Judge Frances Hill said.
Judges Hill, Teresa Harper and Marc Kellams are retiring at the end of this year, so their seats are up in the Nov. 6 election. Judge Kenneth Todd resigned Oct. 15, and Gov. Eric Holcomb will appoint a new judge to fill out the rest of his term.
Christine Talley Haseman, an attorney and former judge, is running uncontested for Kellams’ seat. Haseman was appointed to take over a resigning judges' seat in Monroe County in 2008 but lost the election later that year. Attorney Catherine Stafford is running uncontested for Hill’s seat.
There are two candidates for Harper’s seat, deputy prosecutor Darcie Fawcett and attorney Kevin Weldon.
Hill said she’s excited about the ideas and perspectives the new judges will bring. She said her faith in the new judges makes finishing her term easier because she isn’t worried about who will be taking over her caseload.
There is a trend of more women running for public office this year, and not just in Monroe County. A record number of 256 women won Senate and House primaries this year, according to CNN.
Stafford and Haseman said they think this is partly in response to President Donald Trump and the current political climate. Many women are stepping forward because they’re scared and worried about the future of issues important to them, Stafford said.
Haseman said she has been impressed by organizations encouraging women running for office, like She Should Run and Emily’s List and thinks having that support makes a difference for female candidates.
Harper said she is fascinated and excited about the new female judges in Monroe County and about women running for office across the country.
Fawcett said people rarely emphasize when there is a majority of men on the bench.
“At the end of the day, male or female, everybody has their own life experience to bring to the table,” she said. “Regardless of gender, having four new judges is going to change how the courts operate.”
