With Floyd set to retire, Melody Chappell, a Wells Peyton Greenberg & Hunt attorney, hopes to continue the judge’s community legacy and become a “remodel of possibility,” while her Republican opponent, Mitch Templeton, seeks to ramp up the court’s duties by tackling criminal cases.
Jefferson County has seven numbered district courts, four of which primarily hear only civil matters, even though they are courts of general jurisdiction.
In the basement of the county’s courthouse rests numerous boxes stuffed full of the asbestos litigation that once swarmed its courts decades ago.
Templeton
But with the county’s toxic tort docket mostly cleared, Mitch Templeton, a partner at Templeton & Brinkley, says there is “unused court capacity” he’d like to put to use, if elected, by hearing both criminal and civil matters.
“We need to get people moving through the system faster so they’re not just sitting in jail,” Templeton said. “I have the experience to hear both civil and criminal matters. Jefferson County needs that right now.”
Chappell, on the other hand, believes a community servant should take over the court to ensure Judge Floyd’s community legacy lives on.
“When I first got here I knew Judge Floyd as a community person ... his demeanor is that of a servant – that’s his legacy,” Chappell said. “He’s not here to put roadblocks up in trials. He’s not here to influence trials.”
Chappell, an African American, said Floyd was the first black judge she had ever seen and that it meant a lot to her as a lawyer, and the black community as a whole, to have such a role model.
“We need rational people on the bench – I see Judge Floyd as that rational force,” Chappell said. “I don’t see him on Facebook trying to divide the community. I think we should fight to keep his legacy.”
Currently, the four district judges responsible for civil litigation are all Democrats and have received an abundance of financial support from area trial lawyers.
Moreover, two of the four judges followed in the footsteps of their fathers, ensuring the family surnames Wortham and Sanderson carry on for another generation at the Jefferson County courthouse.
“The people of this county want change,” Templeton said. “How about we elect a Republican for a change? How about we elect a judge that doesn’t have familial ties?”
Templeton believes electing more Republicans can help bring balance to Jefferson County. “It’s like investing, you have to diversify your portfolio,” he said.
While Chappell may not be attending any GOP fundraisers anytime soon, she too can get behind the ideal of diversifying the bench.
“We should have a court that is diverse as much as we can, as long as the diversity is qualified diversity,” Chappell said. “And diversity is not just black or white, female or male.
“I grew up on a pig farm – that’s about as different from all the other district judges as you can get.”
Chappell believes connections, family or otherwise, can play a role in the court system, saying the “good ol’ boy system” is “part of our cultural” at the Jefferson County courthouse.
“The good ol’ boy system should have no place at the courthouse,” Chappell said. “You can’t tell people it’s a place of justice if you’re operating from the stance of who you know.
“For anyone to feel like they’re getting justice in this county, we can’t put in place a system where justice is delegated by who you know and what attorney is representing you.”
If elected, Chappell says she’ll always listen to both sides and remain preconception free. “I understand the struggle of the common man.”
Templeton’s platform also consists of justice and fairness for every party, from the richest to poorest. “Everybody deservers fair and excellent representation.”
As part of her platform, Chappell says she’ll work to improve the county’s online jury system, ensuring the computer illiterate and elderly can more easily submit the dates they would be unavailable for service.