I have 14 years of practice running a solo practice law firm. My areas of practice include family law and criminal law. I have served as Secretary, President-Elect, and President of the La Crosse County Bar Association. I have been recognized by the Wisconsin Law Journal as a Legal All-Star. I am a local business owner who takes great pride in what our communities have to offer. I am raising my family here and I have a vested interest in the future and safety of the communities this position presides over.

1) Substantive knowledge of the law - I have experience in several different areas of law, including litigating OWI cases. In this position, experience with litigating OWIs is important, as those are among the most severe cases a municipal judge will preside over. In addition, I have experience with litigating hundreds of divorces, and have also served as a Guardian ad Litem for children in family law cases. I know how involvement with the legal system at any level can impact families in significant ways.

2) Administrative acumen – Because I run my own law practice, efficiency and time management are necessary strengths of mine. As a Judge I will ensure justice is not unduly delayed.

3) Judicial temperament – Judicial decisions should not be approached with annoyance, or dismissiveness. All participants should be treated with respect. With that said, it is equally important to be firm when the situation calls for it and I believe I possess that necessary balance.

I do not want to rank these in order of importance, as they are all important, but one priority is certainly the firm but fair administration of justice over cases I preside over. In each case that will mean something different, however, consistently applied principles of law will give credibility to the Court and also deter future bad acts.

Another priority is to ensure transparency in the legal system. The legal system works best when everyone knows what to expect and, even if a decision goes against a defendant, that they at least understand why.

Finally, a major priority is to ensure everyone gets a fair shake under the law. It shouldn’t matter who you are or what your status is. The law needs to treat everyone equally, and each case deserves individual attention. No more assembly lines of justice.

I have experience serving as municipal judge prior to moving to the Town of Shelby. My dedication to public service, my compassion for all members of our community and my experience as both judge and practicing attorney (with well over 200 trials as an attorney, and numerous trials over which I have presided as judge) make me the ideal candidate for municipal judge of the Coulee Region Joint Municipal Court.

I have the judicial temperament, integrity, experience and education necessary to be an exemplary municipal judge.

The priorities of my court are to: (1) Provide justice on a case by case basis. Every case is different, every defendant is different; and, true justice demands awareness of these differences. (2) Reaffirm societal norms and expectations by providing equitable and firm dispositions in open court with substantive explanation supporting the dispositions entered. (3) Assure victims are made whole and offenders are held responsible. (4) Deter offenses generally--by holding open court with dispositional details available to the public; and, deter individual offenders--by imposing sentences that demand accountability and opportunity for rehabilitation.