Vote for no more than two candidates for Ottawa County Judge of the District Court, 58th District for a 6-year term. District Judges manage their court's docket, supervise court employees, and may appoint magistrates to assist with duties like setting bail or conducting arraignments. The district court handles the highest volume of cases, including traffic infractions, misdemeanor criminal cases, civil lawsuits under $25,000, landlord-tenant disputes, and small claims. They conduct arraignments, set bail, hold trials, and perform civil marriage ceremonies.
Campaign Phone
616-499-1267
Age
51
Candidate Information
Incumbent Judge of 58th District Court
My work in the legal field started as a legal assistant for a law firm practicing in many areas of the law. While working there full time, part time at a bank, and raising a family with my husband, I attended law school during evenings and weekends. After law school, I worked for a law firm practicing in family law, criminal defense, business law, and general civil litigation. In 2011, I joined the Ottawa County Prosecutor's Office handling all kinds of cases from disturbing the peace up to murder, and led the domestic violence unit for several years. I was elected to the bench in 2020. I have also served on the boards of many organizations. It is the combination of all these experiences that informs my work and decisions as a judge.
The court may act as a bridge between law enforcement and the community providing an opportunity for both to be heard. The court must remain neutral and unbiased following the rule of law. It is the court's role to ensure that everyone including defendants, victims, law enforcement officers, attorneys, and community members are treated with fairness and respect so that justice may be administered in a consistent manner, while also considering everyone's individual situation. This is important to build trust between the justice system and the community.
The most effective method for improving court procedures and efficiency has been to listen to court users when they provide a suggestion. While not every request may be accommodated, it is important to listen with an open mind when a concern is being shared. It is also important to be open to change. Sometimes we do things a certain way because that's the way we were taught or the way it's been done for many years, but it may not be the best way. My suggestion would be to not just explore how the work is being done in other courts here in the County, but to reach out to other courts in the State as well for comparison. There is usually always room for improvement.
Age
56
Candidate Information
Paul Ledford has practiced law for over 30 years. He graduated from Coopersville High School in 1988, earned his undergraduate degree from Northern Michigan University and his law degree from the U. of Minn. Law School. Paul and his wife, Tammy, have been married for 33 years and are the parents of five adult children, two with special needs. They attend church in Wyoming, where Paul serves on the church security team and he and Tammy serve in the Married Life ministry.
Paul has practiced general civil and criminal law for over three decades, practicing regularly before Michigan district, circuit and appellate courts. Paul will bring this experience and the earned wisdom, along with competence, integrity, respect and strong conservative, Constitutionally-based principles to the bench.
Law enforcement must be both appreciated and protected. However, under the limited government principles established in our US and state constitutions, the role of law enforcement and criminal prosecution must also be tempered by the strong civil rights principles and laws of those same constitutions and the laws established thereunder. As a judge, my role will be to support law enforcement ideals, while also protecting the rights of those law enforcement was established to serve.
A judge must also be a servant. A judge serves not only the public in the role of judge, but also their support staff. By acting with authority tempered by humility, experience, wisdom and patience, a judge can bring order to the bench. This means, among other things, that the judge should treat their staff, and both lawyers and parties with respect, including respecting their time and the schedules set by the court staff. A judge should not micromanage the court schedule and lean on the very competent staff that has been put in place for the smooth running of court affairs.
I have extensive experience in the majority of areas that I would be asked to preside over. In private practice I handled some general civil matters and also worked with clients alongside Legal Aid in Landlord Tenant matters. I have almost 14 years experience handling misdemeanors and felony cases originating in the Holland District Court. This includes my own jury trials and preliminary examinations, but also training attorneys and assisting on arraignments, probation violations, bond hearings, and other pre-trial motion hearings. I’ve also participated in our treatment courts in the District Courts, serving for several years on the Sobriety Treatment Court and I currently serve on the Mental Health Treatment Court team.
This role would interact with law enforcement agents daily through warrant authorization, interacting with staff from the jail for in-custody litigants, and by overseeing the preliminary hearings on all criminal cases including those with law enforcement victims and witnesses. This role will require creating a courtroom culture of respect for the law and the officers who enforce it, as well as dignity for every person who is involved in the court process.
Technology has been a great asset in improving options for virtual appearances for litigants and improving data collection. I think there is room for improvement in using technology to improve access to the courts for people for whom English is not their primary language and document production to assist with explaining procedures. I also hope that we can streamline and improve roles in the courthouse to maximize how efficiently we can process cases.
