Exclusive Interview With J Cedric Simpson, Candidate For District Court 14A Judge (Including Jurisdiction Over Saline)

The Honorable J Cedric Simpson, Michigan District Court 14A Judg — J Cedric Simpson, in Michigan District Court 14A-4. © 2018 d2 Saline, All Rights Reserved. USA

The Honorable J Cedric Simpson is running to serve District 14A Judge, which includes the 14A-4 Courthouse operations in the City of Saline. His opponent is Tom Bourque. [1,2,3]

Earlier this month, Saline Journal invited each individual to share his thoughts with our readers on a specific series of questions. Responses from Judge Simpson appear below. Responses from Mr Bourque ran yesterday in Saline Journal.

Saline Journal: “If ‘Justice is Blind,’ why is it important to vote for a candidate on this part of the ballot?”

J Cedric Simpson: “I think that it is important for citizens to know their judges. While justice is, or should be, blind, it is imperative that those who make decisions that affect the communities of the 14A District Court know the various communities which make up the District and that someone is selected who can be fair and impartial. In our democracy, that choice is left to the citizens.

Which then leads to probably the most repeated question I’ve been asked, and that is how does a voter select a judge on the ballot without sitting in a courtroom all day? Frankly, even if you watched a judge for weeks you would only see a portion of what a judge does. I wish the answer to this question was easy but frankly, it is not.

Myself, I would look for someone who is compassionate and has the ability to empathize with individuals appearing before the court and apply the law consistently to all persons. It, at times, is very hard for those who have never been in the position of a judge to truly understand what makes a good judge.

Those of us on the bench will tell you either directly or indirectly when asked, or will make our feelings known by our endorsement, whether a candidate will make a good judge. This happens I think because typically judges know what it takes and would not attach their name or reputation to an individual who they don’t believe should hold that position. This is why any candidate for judge, whether as a sitting judge or not, seeks judicial endorsements first. It is a clear sign as to whether those you must work closely with believe you have what it takes.

J Cedric Simpson: “Over the last 19 years I have taken a special interest in the young individuals appearing in court.

Prior to them even being in a position to learn anything from me, it is important for me to first understand why they are there. In saying that, it is not just the charge, but also other factors which might play into the accusations (ie, mental health, drug use, education etc). If these factors can be gleaned from the initial appearance then pre-trial release conditions can be put in place to gain a greater understanding of these concerns; those might include drug testing, status reports from a therapy or even grades.

Once an assessment is made regarding those issues, then bond conditions are adjusted to address any concerns. If the individual pleads or is found guilty, then the conditions are recommended by probation and implemented through a probationary sentence. Typically, if we take this proactive approach we don’t see the individual again. This is especially true for young defendants who may even slip up on probation but are very amenable to getting themselves back on track.

It has been an extreme pleasure to work with former Mayor Driskell, the current Mayor Marl, school officials, law enforcement, and others as they shared with me their ideas as to what they believe would best help Saline’s youth. Through these dialogues the court has developed a comprehensive system consistent with restorative justice to stop recidivism in this vulnerable population.” [4,5,6]

Saline Journal: “In your own words, what is ‘judicial temperament,’ and where might we look to see that you, in particular, have this necessary if not unique trait?”

J Cedric Simpson: “At best, judicial temperament is difficult to describe. It is the quality we look for in our judges, but that most would say really has no true or single definition because of its use as a political buzzword to direct an attack against a judge.

While not my own words, I adhere to the American Bar Associations definition ‘that a judge exhibits compassion, decisiveness, open-mindedness, sensitivity, courtesy, patience, freedom from bias and commitment to equal justice.’ While as neutral a definition as there is for judicial temperament, each one of these traits is open to its own interpretation and is present or not to differing degrees, depending on the full context of the circumstances the judge is addressing at the moment.

In the public arena of my work on the bench, I believe you will see it in every case I deal with. Court surveys conducted periodically in our court bear this out, as over 95% of the persons appearing before me believe I have been fair and have explained my decision clearly; this despite the fact that I have ruled against at least half of them.

I believe this is at the core of the concept of judicial temperament as it embodies the fundamental notion of our system that a party will receive a fair hearing.

Saline Journal: “Were a person to represent him- or herself before your court, what might he or she expect? How, specifically, should they prepare in order to be their own most effective self-advocate?”

J Cedric Simpson:

“They first and foremost should know all of the facts of their case, and should try to explain them to the court as objectively as possible. If you don’t know, just say so. Don’t guess or speculate about a fact you don’t have proof of.
“They should gather all of the documentation necessary to present their case. They should remember that while they have come to a conclusion about what has happened, the court has not.
“Be prepared to answer questions about the documents or other evidence. Remember, there are some questions you don’t or can’t know the answer to. That is ok. But if you know the answer, give it — even if in your mind it is not helpful for your case. Keep in mind that the judge was not at the event which brings you to the court and they have to assess the credibility of the parties and witnesses. It is important to keep in mind that just because people see the same event differently, or hear things said differently, doesn’t mean they are lying; they could just simply be mistaken about what they saw or heard

Above all, relax and present your version of events. While the rules of evidence apply, most courts will walk you through the process not for the purpose of giving either side an advantage, but to get the evidence before the judge so a proper ruling can be made. [7]

Saline Journal: “Hearings for United States Supreme Court nominees invariably bring special attention to the judiciary — some Senate hearings more so than others. How would you think this interest might make for a more informed, invested electorate in the upcoming 14A District Court race?”

J Cedric Simpson: “Because the process of selection of a Justice of the United States Supreme Court is very different than that of a Michigan District Court Judge, I’m not sure that much involving that process can be helpful to the voter. I will decline to weigh in on the specifics of the political process in Washington because I believe it would be improper under our judicial ethical rules to do so.

I do however believe that citizens should be interested in our whole judicial system, not solely the judge. When teaching various criminal justice classes at Washtenaw Community College, I find that there is much confusion and many misconceptions about our system and what it does and does not do. If this race sparks citizens to become more interested in our system, then I firmly believe we are all better off. [8]

Saline Journal: “Describe a recent experience you’ve had at a Saline business, historical site, or event, and what made that memorable for you.”

J Cedric Simpson: “I’ve had great food and I’ve experienced great service with many Saline area businesses.

But when Mayor Marl invited me to participate in the opening ceremony of the Celtic Festival, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

I was impressed with the number of volunteers and attendees — young people who had previously appeared in my court said hello and wanted me to know they were volunteering and having fun doing it. The sheer size of the event was surprising; I was expecting a small gathering in a city park — instead I found myself in a large and enjoyable event. The police department, city staff, city council, business owners and families — it appeared that the entire community was there. [9]

I did however decline to wear a kilt unless it was the Simpson tartan. I was truly glad for all present they couldn’t find one!”

Additionally, each candidate was offered the opportunity to put forth a question of their own and then answer it for publication here.

J Cedric Simpson: “What would be my priorities and objectives for the upcoming term?

“The creation of a drug court specifically directed toward heroin and fentanyl use. We lose too many people to this scourge. While we have specialized dockets directed at addiction, heroin addiction requires a more intensive dedication of resources. The concept I would be bring to the court would be unique to Michigan in that it would allow users to come before the court with or without charges for the primary purpose of treatment. It is modeled after a court which currently exists in Buffalo NY. [10]
“Expanding the 14A Court’s eviction prevention program named HELPP, which I started approximately 4 years ago. Under this program we have streamlined State DHS emergency relief and Housing Access for Washtenaw County (HAWC) assistance. HELPP brings the services directly into the courthouse as part of the Landlord Tenant Docket and has over the years prevented numerous evictions and the challenges our communities face when there is homelessness. [11]
“Continuing our progress toward becoming a paperless court. While contingent on completion of the work being done by the Supreme Court on e-filing and final funding decisions, the court would continue the foundational progress for implementation by expanding online ticket and warrant resolution and other virtual systems.”

References