Editor’s note: The Flagler County Court judge election is likely the single most consequential local election on the Nov. 6 ballot: local government representatives in the aggregate wield powerful influence, but no single individual has as much of a daily mark on local residents’ lives as a county or circuit judge. And a judge, once elected, is often assured of a life tenure on the bench. The following perspective, by Paul Guntharp Jr., a local attorney, is presented with that in mind. In the interest of fairness and full disclosure, both candidates read the article before publication, with the understanding that they had no editorial say about it, but both were granted the right of simultaneous reply. Craig Atack chose to exercise that right. His response appears below Guntharp’s article. Melissa Moore-Stens elected not to respond.
By Paul Guntharp Jr.
I have been a trial lawyer for over 25 years. I practice in Flagler County and throughout the Seventh Judicial Circuit, as well as in Federal Court.
I am very concerned about the election of our next Flagler County Judge. Not only who will serve for the next six years, but because once elected, judges usually remain in office for a long time. My experience has been that there are greater differences between judges than the general public would ever imagine, just as there are greater differences between doctors than most of us realize. The reason is that only professionals in the field have the knowledge and experience to accurately evaluate their performance.
The difficulty with judicial elections is that we are all too familiar with partisan political elections. We argue the relative merits of policies and positions, are influenced by advertisements and vote for the candidate who we think will do the best job, consistent with our beliefs. Judicial candidates don’t debate. The Rules of Ethics established by the Florida Bar prohibit judicial candidates from engaging in partisan politics. Judicial candidates are not permitted to tell how they would rule on hypothetical subjects. Their campaigns are supposed to focus on their experience and qualifications. The overriding objective of the Florida Bar and bar associations throughout the country is to promote public confidence in the independence and impartiality of our system of justice.
After graduating from law school, I learned that it took many years of experience in many different areas of the law to develop the knowledge and understanding required to be a competent attorney. In fact, I think that is why it is called the “practice,” because we continue to learn and, hopefully, improve our skills and knowledge over many years.
To be a good judge, one must first be a good lawyer and, of course, a good person. That is what the Judicial Nominating Commission does when a judge is to be appointed by the governor, rather than elected. In addition to ethics, the JNC examines all aspects of a candidate’s legal experience and submits the names of the most qualified for consideration. That is what I suggest that voters do. Before you cast your vote, ask yourself who would experienced lawyers, judges and the JNC select? To make that decision, consider the qualifications and experience of each of the two candidates and vote not based on advertising or name recognition, but on qualifications and experience.
Of the two candidates for Flagler County Judge, one–Melissa Moore-Stens–is a former prosecutor who is Board Certified, and has 14 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. The other–Craig Atack–has only practiced as a public defender for six years. One has run her own business and has firsthand experience in the many issues which arise in the private practice of law. The other boasts of having processed 3,500 misdemeanor cases over the first two and a half years of his practice. That is about one hour and 20 minutes per misdemeanor, not counting distractions. It seems to me that, at least two of those years did not contribute to learning anything new.
Another difference between the candidates is education. One candidate graduated from law school with honors and passed the bar examination the first time she could take it. The other candidate will not reveal how he did in law school or explain why he was not admitted to the Florida Bar for almost a year and a half after graduating. Performance in law school is not only an indication of character and intelligence, it forms the foundation for an attorney or judge’s knowledge of the law throughout his or her legal career. One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was given to me by an experienced, successful lawyer just before I entered law school. He told me that his only regret was that he had not studied harder in law school.
In the interest of full disclosure, you may want to know that I have contributed $100 to the campaign of Melissa Moore-Stens and that I will vote for her to be our next Flagler County Judge. However, I do not know either of the candidates personally. I have never had a case or professional transaction with either of them. In fact, before the primary election, I would not have recognized either if I saw them in the grocery store. My interest is solely that Flagler County have the best judge. To this end, I have prepared a comparison of the experience, qualifications and evidence of personal discipline and hard work of the two candidates, which I hope voters will consider before they cast their vote.
I have no doubt that both of the candidates are honorable, nice people. But this is not a popularity contest, it is a question of who is ready to make important decisions based upon their experience and knowledge of the law. And remember, if one of the candidates wants your support, he or she should trust you with the truth, to know who they are, the breadth of their experience and how they have performed in every aspect of their legal education and practice of law. Advertisements and endorsements by family friends are not qualifications or substitutes for experience.
A Comparison of the Qualifications of the Two Remaining Judicial Candidates for Flagler County Judge
| Year of birth | ||
| Years practicing law | ||
| Law school | ||
| Year graduated | ||
| Grade point average | ||
| Class rank | ||
| Passed Florida Bar | ||
| Admitted to the bar | ||
| Board Certified | ||
| Undergraduate | ||
| Practice area |
Sources of information: Candidate disclosures to FlaglerLive, The Florida Bar website and Wikipedia. This table was provided by Paul Guntharp Jr. as part of his article.
Paul Guntharp Jr. has been practicing law in Palm Coast since 1989.
Craig Atack Responds:
First, I want to thank Flagler Live for the opportunity to participate in this discussion about my candidacy. It’s no secret that I grew up in Flagler County and that I love this County. In fact, what I have enjoyed most about campaigning is knocking on thousands of doors and speaking with citizens in Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, and Bunnell. During our conversations, a pretty constant question that comes up is: what makes you the best candidate for Flagler County judge? Most of us are not used to selling ourselves all the time or talking about the things we’ve accomplished. Many attorneys will tell you
they’re better advocates for their clients than they could ever be for themselves.
With respect to the discussion of my candidacy, I appreciate the writer’s candor in indicating that, although he has not met either Ms. Moore-Stens or me, he endorses my opponent. In so doing, he is impressed by and relies on Ms. Moore-Stens’ academic record. As many of you know, I believe there is quite a bit more to this position than the fact that we both happen to be lawyers. Certainly, we each possess the necessary credentials to qualify for the position: we are both members of the Florida Bar and have practiced law for the requisite number of years. Importantly, even though there is a
legal requirement that to be a judge you have to be an attorney, there is more to being a judge than just being an attorney. While my academic experiences inform my perspective, I certainly agree with the writer that, after graduating from law school and passing the Bar, it is the actual practice of law that teaches you how to be a lawyer.
There are as many different ways to practice law as there are lawyers. I chose to practice as a public defender. Because of my position as a public defender, I handle in a year a caseload many lawyers don’t handle in a lifetime. Although the writer disdains the idea that someone who has only practiced as a public defender could be a member of the judiciary, my contention that the accelerated experience associated with being a public defender qualifies me for the bench was recently ratified by the governor’s selection of assistant public defender Judith Davidson to be a county court judge in
Volusia County. Actually, the writer endorses the selection process conducted by the Judicial Nominating Commission and the governor. This is the process that selected and appointed Judge Davidson, who practiced as a public defender for nine years prior to her appointment, and served as a mentor to me during her time with our office.
Prior to her time as a public defender, Judge Davidson was a teacher. Similarly, I taught the American system of government (civics) to 9th grade students in an inner-city school prior to beginning my career as a lawyer. For those of you who are teachers or who deal with children and young adults on a regular basis, you’ll understand that this real-world experience teaches us patience, common sense, and fairness. These are the exact attributes a judge must possess, especially in county court–the people’s court–which is as much about consistency, fairness, and practicality as it is anything else.
As a teacher, I also wanted my students to understand that they had the ability to overcome adversity. Many believed that because of their personal circumstance or past they could not accomplish great things. The writer, like any lawyer, has selected information he believes is important to proving his assertion that my opponent is the more qualified candidate. In so doing, he overlooks many of the things I believe will make me a great judge, such as my Master’s degree in Education, and experience in teaching, which includes time as an adjunct instructor of business law and ethics at Daytona State College.
I am happy to address the writer’s criticism that I am not as qualified to be a judge because I did not have my opponent’s grade point average at a different law school and had to take the Florida Bar Exam more than once. In fact, this is no great secret. More importantly, it is proof positive of the writer’s position that graduating from law school and passing the Bar exam are not a good metric for judging an individual’s potential to be a great advocate or member of the judiciary. It is my lifetime experiences, my actual work, and the reputation I have built as a trial lawyer during my time in the Bar that most accurately characterize my legal acumen. The idea that we are all human should not be foreign to the legal community. Everyone has the ability to accomplish their dreams, and I hope my story will inspire people to believe that, regardless of what happens in their lives, if they persevere they will accomplish great things.
I was lucky to learn qualities like the importance of perseverance from my parents. The lessons they taught me that serve me so well in life will similarly serve me well on the bench. How to treat all people I interact with with respect. People who, as a judge, I might be seeing on their worst day. To listen to all of the information before reaching a conclusion – to hear people out. These things I will do not because I’m a lawyer, but because it’s what the people of this community – what every person – deserves. Moreover, I’m proud to say I’ve been endorsed by someone who knows what it means
to be a judge in this community. Judge Kim C. Hammond served as Flagler County’s Circuit Court Judge for 31 years. Actually, when he became a Judge, he was younger then than I am now. When he was appointed to the bench he had been a lawyer for about seven years. There is no question that Judge Hammond was the right person for the job. I’m honored to say that, in endorsing my candidacy, Judge Hammond thinks I’m the right person for the job, and said:
Craig was raised and educated in the Flagler community and I have known him all his life. Craig has all the required and needed qualities to fully perform the duties of this office. He possesses integrity, good temperament, intelligence and knowledge of the law and I believe that he will make the wise and sometimes difficult decisions required by this position. Craig is willing to do the hard work necessary to deal with the ever increasing caseload in the County Court and I am confident that he will perform his duties in a thoughtful, courteous and respectful manner.
I have an expansive resume, and I’m extremely proud of my accomplishments including my courtroom and real world life experience. I would be honored to bring these credentials to the bench in my hometown. There’s no mathematical formula for selecting a judge. Hard work, real world experience, and the proper temperament are fundamental, and I have exhibited these attributes throughout my life’s work.
Sincerely,
Craig R. Atack
Candidate for Flagler County Court Judge.
FlaglerLive says
A quick note on comments in this thread, which will be very severely moderated. You may debate the issues presented here civilly and intelligently. But please: no shilling, no electioneering, no links. Judging from past history on judicial posts, be prepared not to see your comment appear.
Ron says
Mr. Atack:
I’m sure you are fine young man, but let’s face it, if you did not have the name recognition that you have from your mother currently serving as a Flagler County judge, you likely would not even be on the November ballot. I cannot help but wonder how many folks who voted for you in the primary actually thought they were voting for your mother. I know that I almost did. Almost.
I wish you well in the future, but for now I feel that Ms. Moore-Stens is the better choice for judge.
Jack Howell says
Craig did an excellent job in presenting his case. That said, a close read of Mr.Guntharp’s analysis of the two candidates was also fair. I do not believe that Mr Gunyharp was focused just on Melissa academic success but also her 14 years of experience on both sides of the table.
Craig is a nice youngman but, does not have the wealth of experience to be a county judge. He needs to do some resume building before he is ready. While Judge Kim Hammond and other family friends of the Attack family have endorsed him, he is not a Kim Hammond. Melissa is the logical choice for the informed voter and will serve our County well if given the chance
Geezer says
Just a comment on Paul Guntharp:
He is known locally as an uncommonly ethical officer of the court–a lawyer with a good reputation.
MikeBGood says
Mr Guntharp is a highly respected local attorney who has represented many folks in our community over the years. I have never heard anything negative about him. With 20 plus years of experience, I value his opinion. This appears to be an honest assessment of the facts and Mr Guntharp presents them well.
As for the candidates, Mr. Atack’s response sounded familiar. After rereading it, I believe this is the same text that he read from during the debate on Wednesday evening. It may even be verbatim. Someone should check with the radio station to confirm. Interestingly, Ms Moore-Stens did not even appear to have notes at the debate. I wish it had been videotapped. The contrast between these two candidates is dramatic!
I urge everyone to know their intended choice for office. BTW- There’s NO excuse for not voting!
Thanks for your comprehensive coverage, FlaglerLive.
Michael Stens says
MikeBGood,
I did videotape it, and it will be up shortly on Melissa’s YouTube page and her campaign FB page. I’ve been taping the past few forums and posting the videos. Thanks for your comments. So, you can check the videos yourself in a bit.
Irwin Connelly says
To: Flagler Live
Re: Flagler County Judge
Craig Atack is eminently qualified to be the next Flagler County Judge. His years of experience, both in the courtroom and in the world have prepared him for this esteemed position. The justice system leaders and community leaders who have endorsed Craig have done so out of a sincere desire to see that the best qualified person is elected to serve Flagler County in the years to come. Retired Circuit Judge Kim C. Hammond served this county for over 30 years. For years he taught other judges at Florida’s Judicial College as part of his service to the Bar and Bench. His motivation has always been to do those things that will improve the quality of the bench and make the our justice system best serve all members of our society. He has never endorsed another person for judicial office until now. Judge Hammond has dedicated his life to the betterment of the legal community and the citizens of this County. His endorsement was made on the basis of having observed all the candidates who originally sought to be elected to the judgeship and he decided to give the only endorsement he has given to a judicial candidate to Craig Atack.
Likewise, Steve Nelson, who has served and protected the citizens of this community and the State of Florida as a career homicide and serious felony prosecutor for over 30 years has chosen to give his endorsement to Craig. Mr. Nelson has earned his reputation as one of the top prosecutors in the State. He has doggedly pursued the ends of justice and has always made his decisions based on the law and evidence and never because of any person’s perceived standing in the community or political position. His integrity is beyond reproach. Neither Judge Hammond nor Mr. Nelson would ever give their endorsement for any reason other than a sincere belief that the candidate is uniquely qualified to occupy the bench at the Kim C. Hammond Justice Center here in Flagler County.
Barbara Revels, first woman president of the Florida Homebuilders Association and Flagler County community leader for over thirty years has also worked selflessly and tirelessly for the betterment of this community. I know these individuals and I know how each of them has labored long and hard, giving so much of their time and lives to make this a better community for everyone. Anyone who knows Barbara Revels knows that her endorsement of Craig Atack, like the endorsements of Judge Hammond and Mr. Nelson, is based solely on her sincere belief that his election will be what is best for this community.
I am writing now, because I find it almost laughable that the guest editor deems himself qualified to be attacking the sincerity and integrity of folks like Judge Hammond, Steve Nelson and Barbara Revels. Those individuals are the ones who have worked so hard to raise the public’s perceptions of our great justice system. The writer’s baseless attempt to imply some “character problem being investigated” is typical of the vicious and nasty tactics used by a certain ilk that have contributed to the poor image of attorneys. As a past president of the Flagler Bar Association, former City Attorney for Flagler Beach, two-term Bar Grievance Committee member with over thirty years in public and private practice here in Flagler, I have mostly fond memories and admiration for my fellow attorneys, advocates and associates alike. The writer falls short of the standards set in this community by the wonderful professionals who have served over the years. He has his right to say what he wants, but to the extent he is held out to be a voice for the legal community or for Flagler Live would only lessen my regard for both excellent institutions. I commend Judge Hammond, my long-time courtroom adversary Steve Nelson and our community leader Barbara Revels for having the courage to have stepped forward and continue their life’s dedication to the betterment of our community by expressing their support for Craig Atack to be our next County Judge.
Irwin Connelly
BEARingFlagler says
Mr. Connelly, you are very respected and well known member of the community. But you are friends with the Atack family and your opinion is biased. I would not expect you you to vote for anyone but your friends or family of friends. We all have our opinions, but the fact is Mr. Atack is nowhere near to be as qualified as Ms. Moore-Stens. We need new faces in this county to break the cycle of the “System”.
[Note: the IP address for this comment is identical to the one above, written by Jespo. We do not approve of commenting under two different names in the same thread, creating a false impression of stacking for or against a point of view. A caveat: The IP address originates from a local agency with a very large number of employees. It is possible that only one IP address registers for a multiplicity of terminals.–FL]
PC Aviator says
Mr. Connelly,
With the utmost respect for Judge Hammond, Mr. Nelson and you, I do not necessarily agree that Craig is the right choice for County Judge. The opinions of three judicial giants comes with some bias, or at least the appearance of it, you must agreebecause of your relationship/friendship with his mom. However, having seen how Melissa Moore-Stens carrys herself, interacts and interjects, I cannot in good conscience vote for her–and I am most certainly spreading the word on that. She just does not seem to have the “judge-like” demeanor, personality or presence. She appears to be forceful and opionated…almost a bully. She has interjected her comments when unsolicited even as recently as all the forums within the past few weeks. Moore-Stens seems to have something to prove or an axe to grind…not impressed at all.
Having said that, I do not believe that six years as a public defender qualifies Craig Atack for the position however, in choosing the better of the two candidates, Craig Atack is by far the better choice.
Miah Mahoney says
Does Mr. Guntharpe’s letter being published constitute Flaglelive’s endorsement of Mrs. Moore-Stens for the position?
FlaglerLive says
It absolutely does not. We’ve also run the columns of Phyllis Schlafly conservatives, tea party members and Democratic diehards. It doesn’t mean we align with any of them. We align with open discussion.
Pat O'Reilly says
Mr. Atack articulates his belief that being a good judge is more than simply being “Booksmart”, but requires an understanding of humanity. Perhaps FlaglerLive could ask Ms. Moore-Stens for a similar discussion of her qualifications as to those nontechnical aspects of judgeship.
[We did. Please see her Live interview, under temperament.]
Melissa Castaneda says
Great article! Thank you for pointing out the differences between these two candidates. Melissa Moore-Stens has my vote by far!!! This is not a popularity contest and I am praying that Flagler County will vote for the BEST candidate, not a name.
confidential says
Attorney Moore Stens has 14 years of experience in our court system and ready for the position.
Attorney Atack will have a solid opportunity to fulfill his bench aspirations the next time around and then will have my vote, he is very young for our county judge, yet.
The Pianha says
Did I miss something or did Craig Atack only respond to the comments he determined appropriate without answering the few school questions that were brought to light. I also don’t know that I would be so quick to point out the “lifetime of experience in one year of case load” as a public defender. How many of those cases actually went to trial? Finally, the endorsement from Judge Hammond, a friend of the Atack family, has minimal weight as his last few years as a judge was a revolving door for criminals. Moore-Stens is the obvious choice (thank you Flagler Live and Paul Guntharp Jr.) and my vote for County Judge.
jespo says
Interesting article, but not for the right reasons. The author’s position regarding evaluating a candidate’s worthiness just so coincides with his own experience in the field of law. He gives that “only professionals in the field have the knowledge and experience to accurately evaluate their performance”; ‘their’ meaning one’s peers. He magnanimously allows himself this position at the beginning of his argument, yet incredibly, he denies others the same right when he offers “Advertisements and endorsements by family friends are not qualifications or substitutes for experience.” When he disparagingly reproves endorsements by those friends and family of the candidate not of his choice who have equal peer experience such as himself he demeans the very benefits experience offers, unless of course it’s only the experience of others that’s in question.
Christina says
To me this is an unbiased review from a local attorney not someone who is a friend of either candidate. Of course Mr. Atack is being endorses by those that have worked beside his parents for years. I have known Melissa Moore Stens for at least 12 years as a friend and employee. I have seen Melissa thru pregnancies and childbirth. I have seen Melissa being a sleep deprived mother while working full time. She is a wife and a Mother I don’t know how much real life you can get than that. I have seen the compassion Melissa feels for her clients, the innocent ones, the guilty ones, the ones that want justice when it comes to their kids. Don’t mistake her confidence and the ability to be a strong woman for someone who isn’t kind, caring and compassionate.
Brynn Newton says
The author of the guest opinion piece places great emphasis on one candidate’s classroom and testing success but also obliquely acknowledges the important point that law school does not produce instant lawyers. While doing well in school and on the mainly multiple choice tests required to pass the Bar examination and to become board certified (as I did in criminal appellate practice) can be predictors of success in the practice of law, they are simply that – predictors. With the passage of years the importance of those factors fade and are replaced by real world and courtroom experience. The bottom-line proof of the quality of a lawyer is not how well the attorney performed in the classroom or on multiple choice tests in the past (or appears on a cherry picked chart), but in how well the attorney performs his or her duties in the courtroom and on behalf of clients. By this measure Craig Atack has excelled at every difficult and complex task assigned to him over the years. As Jim Purdy, our elected Seventh Circuit Public Defender has said, Craig has managed “one of the most demanding and complex felony divisions in the Circuit. He has maintained this difficult case load with competence and professionalism[.]”
FlaglerLive’s guest columnist seems to think a mixture of civil and criminal experience is required to qualify a person to be a good judge. This simply ignores reality and local history. Most of the excellent judges currently serving in this circuit practiced either civil law or criminal law, but rarely both, prior to being elevated to the bench. Some of Flagler County’s best jurists came to the bench with experience in one, but not both fields. Neither of our excellent circuit judges currently sitting had extensive experience in Florida civil law prior to becoming judges. Both were highly respected prosecutors for years before coming to the bench and both have done wonders in dealing with the overwhelming civil and criminal dockets here in Flagler. In the past, two of the best judges to serve here, the late Mel Orfinger, who went on to serve as a District Court of Appeal Judge, and Robert Rouse, Jr., both came to the bench with virtually no criminal law experience. Both then presided with distinction and brilliance over many complex and serious felony cases. The same rules of evidence apply to both criminal and civil litigation. The simple fact of the matter is that dual legal experience is not essential to qualify for this position.
What is essential to being a good judge is the quality that all of Craig’s supporters, including retired Circuit Judge Kim C. Hammond, have said that Craig Atack possesses: judicial temperament. It is of crucial importance to have on the bench someone who, as Jim Purdy describes Craig, “treats everyone, regardless of station in life, with sincere respect.”
Craig’s handling of one of the most difficult, complex, voluminous and serious felony caseloads in an exemplary fashion over the past years, together with his real world experiences such as teaching at-risk teens, are the proof in the post-academic pudding that he is well prepared to hold this office. Flagler County voters would do well to elect him as our next County Judge.
Carjo says
I have been following this race (and the Sheriff’s race) very closely. For the record, I do not believe that either position should be an elected one but rather a merit based appointment. Having said that, I understand that FL law requires the position to be one decided by voters.
Because the judicial race is non-partisan it is based upon voters “hiring” someone to do a job that we residents of Flagler County pay out of our taxpayer money. With that in mind, this is how I view this decision. If I were a business owner and had a job opening with a set, non-negotiable salary who would I hire? Obviously I would hire the person who was most qualified for the job so I could get the “most bang for my buck” so to speak. Wouldn’t you?
Therefore, the clear choice is Ms. Moore-Stens. I like Mr. Atack. I have met him and find him to be a genuinely nice person. I am sure he will make a good judge – in about 10 more years. Ms. Moore-Stens is more than qualified to take the bench right now and I believe, based upon their qualifications and experience, she is the best choice for Flagler County right now.
Remember, we are “hiring”someone to do a job. Why not “hire” the most qualified?
dwferg says
Thank you for your input /comments– It will be used as a reference in my decision for whom to vote. Both appear to be worthy candidates, one has significant experience/attributes advantages–the family connection may/may not help Mr. Atack’s candidacy-name recognition alone should not provide an inherent advantage, but it always seems to do just that- It will be an interesting race to watch if Rep.’s “cross over” ala the Holland choice—-
Carjo says
As I said in my previous post, I have been following this race carefully. After reading this guest article and Mr. Atack’s response I started asking around about the topics raised in the article and the response. What I have found out is the following.
Melissa has numerous awards for her pro bono work, even when she was a prosecutor and wasn’t even required to do pro bono work. Craig has not received any award for pro bono work. I don’t think Craig is the only one with an understanding of and caring for people. Melissa is a mother of two, and Craig does not have children. Melissa has lived in this community for 12 years, and Craig previously admitted to the News Journal that he lives in St. Augustine Beach. Further, he is running for County Judge not social worker or camp counselor. People have a right to have their disputes resolved according to the Law, and knowledge of the Law is key. The reason the statue of Justice is blind is because it would be best without such influences. This isn’t an inheritance; it is an important position in our government which should be filled by the most qualified individual.
Let’s break down Craig’s “endorsements.” Irwin Connelly was Sharon Atack’s law partner prior to her becoming appointed as Judge. And, with all due respect, Craig has never practiced law in front of Judge Kim Hammond because Craig has never practiced law in Flagler County. So, Judge Hammond would not know about Craig’s knowledge of the law or skill as a lawyer. Judge Hammond, like the other “pillars of the community” he mentions are all longtime family friends of Sharon Atack, people whom have neither seen Craig practice law nor have been represented by Craig.
Just thought I would share this with you all.
Lulz Daily says
Hahahaha! Good one Carjo!! And this article was written by someone who has never seen either of them practice law and yet it gets front page play on Flaglerlive and Gunthrop is made to sound like an expert on the subject matter. You’re quick to throw out the Atack endorsements, are we throwing this one out too?
And speaking of endorsements, I find it hillarious that mellissa moore has practiced law in Daytona and sometimes Flagler for years and this was the best endorsement she could come up with? Why won’t anyone else in the legal community put their name behind her?????
Informed voter says
From a quick glance at the financial reports Melissa has at least 27 lawyers or lawfirms contributing totaling roughly $4815, Craig 12 with roughly $3150. Additionally, I believe the local newspaper endorsed Moore-Stens as well.
Carjo says
@Luiz: With respect to the endorsements, please do not believe that Mr. Guntharp is the only person who is supporting Melissa’s candidacy. First, if you look at the financial reports filed by Melissa (available on the SOE’s website) you will see that many of her donors are area attorneys. Now, if they weren’t supporting her candidacy they wouldn’t donate to her campaign. Second, if you visit Melissa’s campaign page on facebook and scroll through it you will find several videos containing endorsements not only from local attorneys but also community leaders. Third, I have heard that most of Melissa’s primary opponents are supporting her and actively encouraging the people who voted for them to vote for Melissa. Finally, last Saturday the Palm Coast Observer publicly endorsed Melissa.
I was not “throwing out” Craig’s endorsements, I was merely trying to put them into context. Endorsements are obviously a wonderful thing to have but they do not necessarily equate to the experience and qualifications of the candidate. As I said in an earlier post, we are in essence hiring someone to do a job. Recommendations from one’s peers are fine, but the final decision should be the resume of the candidate.
Lulz Daily says
Silly me! I get so confused. I thought we were talking about endorsements! You have educated me. Yes, Moore got a lot more money from private law firms than Atack. You have my vote!
Informed voter says
Check your thesaurus “endorse” , “back” or “support” are synonyms. Carjo had nothing to do with my post. I was simply stating that 27 local, practicing attorneys obviously have faith in Melissa Moore Stens and, in fact, financially supported her. You found it “hilarious” that no local attorneys supported her. Quite frankly, if I practiced in Flagler I would be hesitant to make a donation to either campaign as you may very well be practicing in front of the opponent. I think it speaks VOLUMES. The reality of the matter is that the people who are posting on this already know who they are voting for so it’s kind of a moot point.
Andrew Clark says
From reading these various perspectives, I expect that many of those commenting have no experience in the daily routine of county court. Legal knowledge is far, far less important than patience, dedication and people skills. The best county judges really are more like counselors or mediators than anything else. The ability to relate to all the people appearing in the courtroom, not just those with law degrees, is extremely valuable and often lacking in those we put on the bench.
I believe that the ‘qualifications’ that should be compared between county judge candidates are not the types of things that can be easily quantified or written down. However, I think the most important qualifications for a judge is a lack of ego and a genuine desire to serve. This is where Craig Atack excels, he is running for the right reasons.
Several folks have mentioned Mr. Atack’s connections in the legal community. I would suggest you consider how easy it would have been for Mr. Atack to use those ties to obtain a (much) higher paying and less thankless job rather than spending six years as a public defender. Let him continue to serve his community as county judge.
Andrew Clark
Board Certified Criminal Trial Attorney
Carjo says
@ Andrew…”Legal knowledge” is not important for a judge? Really? Interesting from a lawyer. I would prefer to have a judge that has the legal knowledge required for the position as opposed to one that does not.
I do agree that the ability to relate to people from all walks of life is a good thing. Having said that, have you looked at Ms. Moore-Stens’ experience? She has done a huge amount of pro-bono work, is a guardian ad litem to children in need, is a mentor to teen-agers, volunteers in the Flagler County school system, is involved in more than one charitable group in Flagler County, and has assisted numerous clients/women in tracking down “dead beat dads” to get them to pay their child support. In addition, check Ms. Moore-Stens’ web site to see the numerous awards and accolades she has received that are related to this volunteer work. Can Mr. Atack say the same? Does this work not give her experience working with people from all walks of life?
A “lack of ego”? Do you bring ego into the equation because you believe that all successful professionals have an ego? I know many successful people who have absolutely no ego whatsoever. But I must ask, do you have an ego? You signed your comment not as “attorney at law” but “Board Certified Criminal Trial Attorney”. (The same certification Ms. Moore-Stens holds that Mr. Atack does not.) Why is that?
Yes, Mr. Atack chose to work as a public defender. Kudos to him. Ms. Moore-Stens chose to spend her career first as a prosecutor and then as a defense attorney. What’s the difference? To be a criminal defense attorney (which the public defender is) requires a great commitment to the justice system and a strong belief in the Bill of Rights. Just because an attorney is in private practice does not mean they are financially better off that someone who works for the state. It’s actually a riskier career path because there is no guaranteed salary. You get clients based on your reputation as a lawyer and the job you can do.
“a genuine desire to serve”. Have you spoken to Ms. Moore-Stens? Has she told you that she has no desire to serve? I think not. Anyone who runs for elected office obviously has a desire to serve the community they LIVE in. Where does Mr. Atack live? Not Flagler County. He says he cannot practice here because of a conflict of interest with his mom being a judge here. Ok. But is the commute to St. John’s County that onerous? I mean most people I know drive up to St. Augustine on the weekend just to have dinner.
While I appreciate your support of Mr. Atack I do believe that you are trying to paint over Mr. Atack’s lack of experience by throwing out subtle insinuations about Ms. Moore-Stens’ character. Bad form sir.
Their experience speaks for itself. It’s up to the voters of Flagler County now. I only hope they make the right decision.
Andrew Clark says
As it seems as though you’ve gotten what you wanted, this may fall on deaf ears, but I will respond in any case. You might have noticed that I never mentioned Ms. Moore-Stens, and contrary to your assertions I didn’t insinuate anything at all about her. The points you raise about her are all valid reasons to support and vote for her. All I was doing was talking about the candidate I do know and responding to the attacks of his qualifications that were made by the original editorial and in several comments.
I stand by my assertion that legal knowledge is not that important in a county court judge. My experience has been that very few judges are especially strong in that area and often rely on the parties to provide the appropriate arguments. All judges make mistakes on the law at times, and the proper temperament and the lack of ego that I mentioned are crucial for these times, when a judge is willing to admit their error and correct it.
I appreciate your desire to attack me personally for mentioning the certification. I mentioned it solely because the original editorial mentioned that as some kind of a talismanic qualification for the county judge. I say ‘big deal’, the certification doesn’t mean anything with regards to qualification to be a judge, and I know because I’m also certified.
It seems that your goal in this response is to attack and deride my comments by pretending that I said negative things about Ms. Moore-Stens. All I did was give the reasons why I believed Mr. Atack was a good candidate. The fact that you took this tack and are such an ardent supporter of Ms. Moore-Stens is literally the most negative thing I know about her.