Dear Editor:
Several lawyers in the Lewisburg area wanted the public to have some input as to who the lawyers wanted for judge. A questionnaire was then compiled by Paul S. Detch, who requested the members of the bar to rate three qualifications of the judges.
The lawyers were asked to rate on a scale of 1 to 1 0 the various candidates legal ability, their suitability to be a judge, and finally how much that particular individual desires that this person be chosen as judge. Over 50 questionnaires were distributed. Eleven were returned.
The various returns were tabulated and return high averages are reported below. The members of the legal community who participated want to emphasize that Greenbrier and Pocahontas County bars are not endorsing anyone. This solicitation was done by lawyers acting on their own.
The public is cautioned that by averaging the rating, the members of the bar on a scale of 1 to 10 that there is a tendency to rate parties toward the center, that is around 5. Because it is a subjective standard, what may be a 1 to 10 rating for one lawyer, it may be different for another lawyer. Likewise, someone could put a 10 for someone they like and 0 for another.
Zeros were counted unless the questionnaire indicated it meant they didn’t know the individual.
The public should also be aware that although there were eleven members who responded, the opinions of those who did not respond cannot in any way be measured.
As all of the questionnaires were anonymous it is unknown as to whether the sample that was returned in any way reflects the bar.
In any event, out of the eleven parties who responded to the questionnaire, the following are the results:
SEAT 1:
Jennifer Dent: Legal Ability: 5.5, Suitability: 5.6, Desire: 5.4
Jeffrey Rodgers: Legal Ability: 5.8, Suitability: 4.2, Desire: 5.6
Fred Giggenbach: Legal Ability: 3.9, Suitability: 2.4, Desire: 2.3
SEAT 2:
Britt Ludwig: Legal Ability: 5.8, Suitability: 5.9, Desire: 5.1
Robert Richardson: Legal Ability: 8.6, Suitability: 8.2, Desire: 8.1
Steve Hunter: Legal Ability: 5.7, Suitability: 4.8, Desire: 3.8
Family Court Judge:
David Sanders: Legal Ability: 7.9, Suitability: 8.7, Desire: 9
Martha J. Fleshman: Legal Ability: 3.5, Suitability: 2.7, Desire: 2.5
Greenbrier County Magistrate:
James Childers: Legal Ability: 3.7, Suitability: 4, Desire: 4
Kimberly Johnson: Legal Ability: 5.7, Suitability: 6.7, Desire: 5.9
Paul Detch
Lewisburg