Yuma County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
Justice of the PeaceEvery county has justice courts presided over by a Justice of the Peace. Each court has one justice of the peace and one constable. Justice courts primarily deal in small claims cases for $10,000 or less. They handle misdemeanor crimes, protective orders, evictions, traffic infractions (including DUIs), and small-dollar civil matters, such as shoplifting and writing bad checks. The number of justices in a county depends on the population. Justices do not need to be attorneys or have any specific education. 4-year term.Why you should care:Due to the nature of the offenses they adjudicate, many people will have some interaction with one of their county justices of the peace. Justice courts also hear many non-criminal civil disputes, often without attorneys; in these cases, the justice of the peace will interact directly with residents.For additional information:https://www.azcourts.gov/AZ-Courts/Justice-Courts
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Scarlett Harper
(Rep)
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Richard J Mendez
(Rep)
What training, experience, and background qualify you for this position?
What are some challenges facing the Justice Courts, and how would you address them in your court?
What considerations would you bring to bear when making sentencing decisions?
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Qualifications and Experience
30 years of Law Enforcement experience. Have been in the court room many times and know what is expected from the Plaintiff and Defendant. I have a good knowledge of the laws.
Community Service
Was a flag football coach for Youth ages 5 to 14
Education
Some college but mostly Military experience and Law Enforcement Schools
I have 30 years of Law Enforcement experience which includes my time in the United State Marine Corps as a Military Policeman. I have worked in the jail and on the streets to where I have had to supervise over officers I am in charge of or prisoners who I am responsible for. I have had to attend and testify in court many times to where I know what is expected of the plaintiff and defendant. I have also had the great pleasure and honor of being a selected jury member. Being part of that process gave me more insight on the process of Law. Having the Law Enforcement background I know what is expected of Law Enforcement.
A challenge that I see in the Courts is Judges are using past personal experiences and not finding defendant's responsible for misdemeanor and petty cases or the Judge is not familiar with the statue and doesn't find the defendant responsible. Findings of the court are to be done on the evidence presented not past personal experience also if your not familiar with the statue read up on it before trial so you have knowledge. I see there is a lack of communication between the Court and Officer. Having communication and some type of training between the two would make both understand better.
When making a sentencing decision I would see how many times the defendant has been trouble and what are his or her's past sentencing. For a fist time offense I would look at the severity of the charge and determine if the standard sentence would be acceptable or if the spirt of the law would work and a lesser penalty would work. I do want to make clear that all will be treated fair and with respect every time one enters the Courthouse and Courtroom.
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