Your Opinion Pubby

[Dallas Bigfoot]

I voted for Heath the first time but I am considering Curruth in the run off based on inputs on P.com.

 

Now I need your opinion on which is a better candidate: Valbuena or Collins? Seriously. You seem to know a lot of dirt and/or good qualities on local candidates.

 

This does in know way change my mind about who to vote for for president.

[gpatt0n]

Bigfoot:

 

I don't know Collins at all.

 

I do know Martin and I here is why I support him.

 

One: When the guy down in Hiram wrote his book on how to get out of a traffic ticket - yes, I had a copy - he basically said that the game was largely fixed and that was largely because municipal judges did not provide any credibility to those who didn't wear uniforms. He cited Valbuena's court as an exception to that 'It will be $225 and court costs, please pay the clerk' routine that marks a system the author largely felt stacked against the citizen.

 

Two: Martin instituted online filing and other innovations through a third party back in 2004 or so making magistrate justice more accessible.

 

Three: I don't know why the county felt it necessary to set minimum fines for specific county ordinances unless the magistrate was using too much discretion - but the fact they did suggests that this magistrate is independent in his judgments.

 

Like I said, I don't know Mr. Collins but I do know Judge Valbuena and I don't have a specific complaint or reason to reject his progressive - aka: innovative - administration of the position nor do I have reason to suspect his judgments are tainted by politics or favoritism.

 

I don't know that you could say anything more compelling in favor of a judge than what I said.

 

I mean, what is he going to do? Why didn't he try and tell me whatever that was? Bottom line, for Mr. Collins it would be a hard sale but from where I am, he didn't even try.

 

pubby

 

PS: If Mr. Collins wants to come in and visit with us, we'll do a video and give him an opportunity. But he has to knock on our door.

[+Jeanne O'Halleran Law]

Not that you asked, but I felt like I should throw in my 2 cents here - I don't know Mr. Collins either, but I fully support Martin Valbuena. I have known him for many years, both as an attorney and as a judge. I have the utmost respect for him in both capacities. He is always fair and listens to all sides. He knows how to manage the court efficiently, especially considering the budgetary cuts the county has imposed. I can't imagine anyone else who could do the job better than he does it.

[petie]

Thank you both. I have been researching these gentlemen this

morning and your comments have been a great help.

[lisamples6]

Thank you both. I have been researching these gentlemen this

morning and your comments have been a great help.

I too support Valbuena - my hubby just recently went to court with his ex and Valbuena was the judge and my hubb won a little and lost a little - my hubby felt like he was fair and listened to his side as opposed to judges before where the custodial parent was always right regardless.

Edited August 13, 2012 by scannin'yourheart

[mhparker92]

I have known Martin (as I know him) for almost 10 years now. Our boys have played soccer together over the years. Let me tell you - he is as honest as the day is long. He's forth-write. He is not one to be quick to judge (in personal relationships). He's calm and levelheaded.

 

Then, we needed his services as an attorney. We were in a situation where an adult was harassing our child. I called Martin. He was so calm when Momma Bear wasn't. He talked me down off the ledge and gave me a plan of what we do going forward. And he was right - it was a self resolving situation.

 

My other experience with him was as District Chair for our Boy Scout District (which happens to also be Paulding County). Again - more examples of his calm, levelheaded nature. More examples of him learning and reading before he stepped in with his opinion. More examples of him be honest and up front with what he can and cannot do.

 

My last example just happened last week (literally). We had someone scheduled to come to our Boy Scout meeting to speak on Constitutional rights and responsibilities (it's a rank requirement). This individual had to cancel on us at the last minute. I called Martin - explained to him the situation. He told me that he could come out at a particular time based on picking up one son and leaving the other son at soccer practice - be at the troop meeting for 20 minutes - and needed to be out of there at a particular time to get his second son from soccer practice. Soccer practice is in the complete opposite direction of my troop meeting. But, he did it. He came - did a great job speaking the scouts at their level - he left and went back to the soccer fields.

 

Overall - I find him to be an honest, level headed, thinking man. And, I can't figure out what more I could possibly want in a judge.

[Dallas Bigfoot]

Thanks for the inputs. Valbuena it is. I heard Collins didn't have a law degree.

[lowrider]

Valbuena has always had my vote.

[Lady Raider]

Valbuena has always had my vote.

 

 

same here

[petie]

Valbuena will be getting my vote, thanks to all that answered this question.

I believe Paulding County is too big to have a judge that does not have a law degree even though it is not required to run for the office.

Edited August 14, 2012 by watcher