VOTE411 Voter Guide

The Ada County Prosecutor's Office's most pressing challenge is ensuring that its cases are resolved in the most fair and efficient manner possible and that the public trusts and understands the decisions made by that office.

The current office loses 40% of felony trials and 80-90% of misdemeanor trials. This is a direct result of decisions made by the leadership of that office. From failing to ensure that victims feel heard, not being proactive in communicating with deputies and law enforcement, and minimizing the amount of discretion line prosecutors have, my opponent has made it difficult for those on the front lines to succeed in delivering justice in Ada County.

We address those issues by treating victims with respect and doing everything in our power to make sure that their medical and mental health needs come first. The Office should also make sure that there is constant communication between law enforcement and prosecutors.

I am a small business owner who works in family law and criminal defense. That broad experience has given me direct contact with people suffering through addiction and withdrawal and with victims of domestic violence and stalking. During law school, I trained in a prosecutor's office and an attorney general's office. Prior to law school, I served as a guardian ad litem with children in child protection cases through Family Advocates and interned with the Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program, where I connected those in need of counsel with pro bono counsel.

I will commit to working with community members and law enforcement to ensure that Ada County's growth through 500,000 residents is handled in a manner that keeps our citizens safe without becoming a significant tax burden. An office can be aggressive without overwhelming its staff and the courts with so many cases that the conviction rate becomes so low.

A prosecutor's office cannot succeed without the trust of the public. It is vital that this office be trusted because the criminal justice system affects so many: 30% of Americans will be arrested by age 23. Therefore, I will make transparency and openness central tenets of my office. Many people are not sure what a prosecutor does, so we will begin with open houses to build accessibility and communication channels to the public. The people expect and deserve timeliness and accountability from their government officials and I will make that happen

The current office was forced to pay attorney's fees to the Idaho Press Club because they refused to provide documents to reporters. A court found that my opponent’s office’s approach was "troubling." A Critical Incident Task Force report involving an officer-involved shooting from June 2023 took nine months to resolve.

Additionally, we will need to coordinate with providers and the public to ensure we have sufficient treatment options.