Butler County voters will decide Tuesday during the Republican primary who will serve as their associate circuit judge for the next four years.
Long-time incumbent John Bloodworth is not seeking re-election to another term as judge and two candidates, Wade Pierce and Ralph Innes, are vying to replace him.
Pierce and Innes were asked the same five questions, and their profile stories are presented in the order in which their names appear on the ballot.
Wade Pierce
As he prepares for Tuesday's election, Wade Pierce feels experience is a strength he brings to the table. With a law career spanning more than 20 years, five of those as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Butler County, and more than a decade as prosecutor for the city of Poplar Bluff, Pierce said his experience inside the courtroom has prepared him for the role of Butler County associate circuit judge.
"During that time I have experience in (bench) trials, jury trials," Pierce explained. "I've handled a wide array of civil cases, general cases, family law. I've been a criminal defense lawyer at times. I have a really broad base of experience in the exact things that I will be handling in this judgeship."
Pierce, 47, said a motivating factor in his decision to run is timing. Since law school, he knew he had an interest in becoming a judge and that interest has grown throughout his career. However, Pierce said he wanted to wait until the timing is right before making such a considerable commitment to the residents of Butler County.
"My kids are basically raised," he said. "Mallory's in college, Justin's headed to college, Dylan's going to be a senior at Poplar Bluff High School. It's a good time in my life to make that move. It's something I've always wanted to do and it's something I'd like and want to do for the community."
Public service has always been a priority for Pierce. From serving as prosecutor for the city and county, to coaching sports teams and serving on various civic boards, Pierce said giving back to the community is a desire he wants to continue and is ready to fulfill.
"I've reached a point where I feel like the best way I can give back to my community is, with the experience and skills I've gained, all the lessons I've learned over the years being a lawyer, to be a judge. It's just the best way I know to continue my service to Butler County," he said.
If elected, his number one priority would be to serve as a fair and impartial judge in the years following. Pierce said he will strive to be as hardworking and dedicated as his predecessors. There are certain characteristics he feels add to the success of a judge.
"You have to have the right demeanor," Pierce said. "I think you need to be hard working and you need to be dedicated. You need to be loyal to your position because you're being paid by the state to do a job and you need to focus on that. I think you need to have the ability to make well-reasoned and thoughtful decisions and to apply the rule of law the way that it should be applied."
During his time as Butler County's assistant prosecutor, Pierce said he spent one day per week in Judge John Bloodworth's court, which regularly contains a docket filled with a substantial number of cases. Pierce said he is accustomed to managing a heavy case load and doesn't see the schedule as an issue.
"When I was the city prosecutor, somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 thousand citations were filed in that court a year. That was the norm, believe it or not. Of course, every filing is a ticket of itself and a lot of that stuff is traffic and things of that nature -- not cleaning up your yard and what have you. But some of it was DWIs assaults, all those things."
Pierce also said he does not plan to make any changes to the docket, as he doesn't believe it would be effective. He does plan to focus on efficiency, which he said includes using less paper and embracing technology.
"I've spent the years doing this kind of stuff," he said, "and even though I was the prosecutor and not the judge managing these very large dockets, I think I did a good job of it."
Ralph Innes
A well-rounded and fair judge is who Ralph Innes hopes to be for the residents of Butler County. Using a combination of lessons he's learned through his life and professional experiences, the US Army veteran considers his qualifications to be two-fold: moral principals and professional success.
"Being raised by my parents on a basic set of principals and, along with my time in the military an additional set of principals, I have used these principals in my life in how I present myself and treat other people," Innes said.
"Along with that, my professional experience in being a trial attorney, having tried multiple jury trials, along with bench trials and arguing before the Court of Appeals and Missouri Supreme Court, both of those successfully, makes me a well-rounded and fair judge for the people of Butler County."
His desire to become a judge came after several years serving in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. Upon leaving the military, Innes entered law school. He knew he wanted to give back to the community in which he grew up in the future. However, he also knew gaining enough experience to be effective in the role was imminent.
Innes, 47, said that as an attorney, making the commitment required of a judge is the best way he knows how to accomplish his long-term desire.
"I am motivated by the idea of having a job that gives back to the community and I believe that, as an attorney, a judge position would fulfill the desire that I have," he said.
Innes hopes to run a courtroom in which the people who stand before him feel they received a fair trial. Showing respect to all who are involved is a high priority.
"My goal would be to have every person that comes before me on that bench leave my courtroom with the idea that I showed them the dignity and respect that was taught to me by my parents, as well as, and most importantly, I want every person who comes before me to know they got a fair chance to have their case heard," he said.
Innes believes the most important characteristic for a judge to maintain is fairness. He is also adamant that outside influences should not impact decisions made in the courtroom. Innes said a phrase he learned in the Army, "Stay in your lane," is a mindset he continues to use today.
"We've all been judged at some point in our lives, whether at a talent show, a sporting event, or even in a courtroom, and the only thing a human asks for when being judged for anything is a fair chance," he said. "I believe that if you do not let outside influences effect your decision and fair application of the law, everyone will get a fair shot."
The case load Innes would face inside the current associate judge's courtroom is extensive, he agreed. However, currently working as a private attorney, Innes said he is accustomed to dedication, long hours, and effective time management.
"I have worked in two law firms -- one as a junior partner and now as a general partner," he explained. "Our case load is extremely large and we are in court every single day. I have been in court throughout the state of Missouri in all types of cases. I am prepared to handle any sort of case load that is presented to me."