Cibola County Magistrate Judge Division 2
Magistrates are judges in limited jurisdiction courts. They hold the initial hearings in many types of serious criminal cases, and try criminal cases, including many first-time DUI/DWI and other misdemeanor cases which carry relatively less serious penalties. They also have jurisdiction over some types of civil cases (e.g., landlord/tenant and contracts) in which the amount sought is less than $10,000. Term: Four years; no term limits.
Click a candidate icon to find more information about the candidate. To compare two candidates, click the "compare" button. To start over, click a candidate icon.
-
JESSICA M MELONAS
(Dem)
-
ROBERT SCOTT WINDHORST
(Rep)
1. What qualifies you for this office?
2. What are the major challenges when serving as a Magistrate Judge?
3. What would be the most effective methods to improve Magistrate Court procedures and efficiency?
4. What other information would you like voters to know about you?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
I served a two year mission for my Church in the Philippines(1977-1979). I have been married for 43 years. My wife and I have raised nine children and we have 14 grandchildren. I studied Political Science at BYU and owned my own business for many years. I was also a Realtor for 17 years. I have served on numerous professional boards and have always been active in any community I have lived in. I have been elected two terms as a Cibola County Commissioner for District 4 and served honorably. For the past 11 years I have worked for the City of Grant in Planning and Zoning and Code Enforcement. This gave me experience with going to Municipal and Magistrate Court to handle citations filed with both courts.
Given that the Magistrate Court is the gateway court for the higher courts and has a heavy flow of cases that come before it every day, this presents challenges. The Magistrate Court also has issues with some of the court houses they inhabit. Magistrate Courts don't always get the funds they need to rehab or build new court houses. Another challenge is staffing and retaining staff. Court staff are very important to taking care of all the paperwork and keeping everything on the calendar running smoothly. Magistrate Judges must face re-election every four years in partisan elections, which can bring political pressure on Magistrate Judges. Avoiding bias at all cost protects Magistrate Judges.
Leadership is always top down. If the Magistrate Court Judge conducts themself in a professional, organized and respectful manner, the court staff will step up and do the same. This will happen with continuing education and training. Funds from the State to keep the court running means that Magistrate Court Judges should be able to read a budget and adhere to it. One of my concerns will always be court safety and I, if elected, will petition the State to implement better safety technology to protect the public that comes before the court. We do have a metal detector, however, we should be more proactive in the security of the Magistrate Court. I will work full time and beyond to keep the court's business moving forward.
I have built a reputation throughout my life of helping those around me to succeed and move forward. My wife and I have raised a large family and we are very pleased with the result. I believe in having respect for all people, no matter what their situation is. I believe in doing the right thing for the right reason. I will be fair, firm and consistent in my rulings and will follow the law. I have cuff links my father had when he went to law school. Lady Justice wearing a blindfold, holding the scales of justice. People come to court for many reasons, they should always be able to depend on the Magistrate Court Judge to be fair and unbiased. I will be that kind of Magistrate Judge.
To make a selection for a candidate you must first find your races. Would you like to find your races now?
You have already selected the maximum number of candidates for this race.
You must uncheck an existing selection before making another selection.