Why I Am Running?

By Joshua S. EldenBrady
Candidate for 60th District Court

AN INDEPENDANT JUDICIARY

The prosecutor shouldn’t pick our judges. It is critical that we select a judge who has experience representing everyday people not just governments or corporate interests. I am the only candidate without ties to the Prosecutor’s Office or the failed contract public defense system. I also have the most diverse recent District Court practice experience.

JUSTICE FOR THE PEOPLE

Laws aren’t perfect, and sometime they are less than clear. The government writes the laws, it has the power to change them, and it should be the one that loses when the laws it wrote need to be rewritten. Muskegon’s Legal System has a long history of serving the government, it’s time for it to start serving the people.

EVERY CASE IS AN IMPORTANT CASE

I know what it feels like to have a case that is very important to you treated like just another part of the day. Your case is the most important case in your world and the Court needs to treat it that way. This doesn’t mean that you will always win, but it does mean that you have the right to be treated with respect and have your side fully heard.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

The District Court deals with minor crimes and many first time offenders. It is the sentence chosen by the District Court Judge that can help many people work past the problems that led them to break the law and avoid re-offending. Sentencing should assist those who want to improve their lives. My experience both as an attorney and an educator has given me the wisdom and skills to make these critical decisions. This doesn’t mean that offenders shouldn’t have to serve their time, but when possible they should serve it in rehab, counseling, community service, or other alternative program that does something meaningful rather than just sitting in a jail cell.

A COURT FROM THE COMMUNITY

Urban Muskegon and Muskegon Heights are disproportionately represented in the cases that come before the District Court, yet all our judges live in more affluent areas and this affects the respect for and perception of the court. We need to make sure our urban area is represented in our system, that our judges have a stake in the community. I am the only candidate for this office who lives in this highly served area.