State-Journal.com - Four vie for district judge vacancy

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Chris Broaddus

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Chris Olds

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Dana Todd

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Will Williams

Four attorneys say they want to fill the unexpired term of a Franklin District Court judge " a job currently paying $110,448 a year.

Those include Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Dana Todd, Assistant Franklin County Attorney Chris Broaddus, and private practice attorneys Squire "Will" Williams and Chris Olds.

A vacancy was created with last week's retirement of Guy Hart as chief district judge, who served 16 years and four months.

Hart's retirement was effective Monday. But until his replacement is either appointed or elected, Hart will continue to serve as judge of the 48th Judicial District, Division II in Franklin County " under a senior status program which will enhance his retirement benefits after five years.

The district court race is expected to be on the Nov. 4 general election ballot. The filing deadline in the secretary of state office is Aug. 12. The winner will complete Hart's unexpired term, which ends in December 2010.

Gov. Steve Beshear could appoint someone as judge until the election. But then again, he may not because of the shortness of the time remaining until November " and there is a sitting judge, Hart, as well as District Judge Kathy Mangeot in Division I.

Before Beshear could appoint someone, Lisa Thurman, executive secretary of a judicial nominating commission will send a notice of vacancy to all attorneys in the judicial district.

Attorneys can recommend someone or nominate themselves. Those interested in the position should return a questionnaire to the office of the chief justice.

Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr. will then meet with the nominating committee to choose three nominees. Their credentials are sent to the governor for review.

The commission has seven members, comprised of Minton, the chairman; two lawyers elected by all the attorneys in their circuit; and four state citizens " two Democrats and two Republicans " appointed by Beshear.

Here are the first four to say they want to be district judge:

>Chris Broaddus, 43, has almost nine years experience as an assistant Franklin County attorney.
"I was sworn in on a Friday and had a trial in district court on Monday and I've been in district court ever since," Broaddus said.

Besides prosecuting misdemeanor and traffic cases, he has law experience in small claims, probate and civil cases, he said.

In addition to his experience as a prosecutor, he said he has been an administrative law judge with both the Kentucky Cabinet for Families and Children and the state Personnel Board. "So I have experience as a judge," he said.

Broaddus is the current president of the Franklin County Bar Association, "so I think I have the support of my peers."

He also worked seven years as a correctional officer for the Franklin County Regional Jail while going to college.

A lifelong Franklin County resident, Broaddus is a 1983 graduate of Frankfort High School. He has a bachelor's degree in English from Kentucky State University and a law degree from the University of Kentucky.
He said he lived in Frankfort and commuted to Lexington while going to law school.

"I've been here my whole life," Broaddus said. "I know the community well and I have experience as a prosecutor in Franklin District Court, and as an administrative law judge."

He and his wife, Lisa, have two sons, Jake, 7, and Luke, 4.

>Dana Todd, 41, has been a prosecutor for more than 10 years. As assistant commonwealth's attorney here since July 2002, she handles child physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence, sexual assaults and other felony cases in Franklin County courts.

She also is a special prosecutor in several cases outside Franklin County.

Previously, Todd handled death penalty and other felony cases as an assistant attorney general from 1997 to 2000. As an assistant commonwealth's attorney in Jefferson County from 2000 to 2002, she worked in the domestic violence unit.
"As a prosecutor, I have seen the entire spectrum of criminal cases, from petty offenses to child rape and capital murder," Todd said.

"I have seen these crimes and their ripple effects, statewide and in Franklin County. I have seen the collateral damage when a family member is either a victim of a crime or a perpetrator of a crime.

"A district judge is uniquely situated at a crossroads where children can either be helped by the court system or abandoned to graduate to more serious crimes or to simply fend for themselves. I want to exercise the authority to make a change for these children before they wind up as adult perpetrators and victims. I am confident I can bring my perspective as a child abuse and domestic violence prosecutor to bear and do some good, one child at a time."

She said her goals for district court include exploring Saturday and evening court hours, particularly for dockets like juvenile cases and traffic court; and expanding drug court to include eligible district court defendants.

She has a bachelor's degree in Spanish and French from Western Kentucky University; a master's in Spanish from UK; and a law degree from UK.

Prior to law school, she was chairman of the foreign language department at Lafayette High School in Lexington and taught high school and college-level Spanish.

Todd has served five years as chair of the board for the Franklin County Council on Family Abuse, and developed "Kids In Court," a professional development program for Franklin County Public School counselors and principals.

She has taught at the Kentucky State Police Academy, Frankfort Police Department's Citizens Police Academy, National Children's Advocacy Center's Symposium on Child Maltreatment, Kentucky Victims' Assistance Conference, Kentucky Domestic Violence Association statewide conference, and Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky's "Kids Are Worth It!" Conference.

A native of Louisville, Todd has lived in the Franklin County area about 15 years. She said her children attend Franklin County Public Schools.

>Chris M. Olds, 36, said he has practiced in Franklin District Court "on a daily basis for over 10 years." He said he has extensive jury trial experience in courts throughout the state.

He is a partner in the law firm of Bullock & Coffman.

Olds said he is seeking the judgeship because he doesn't want his children "to grow up in a community where drug abuse is so widespread. In my profession, I see good people do bad things because of drugs on a daily basis. My extensive experience of dealing with people in the district court system with drug problems makes me uniquely qualified to deal with this challenge."

Olds said it's important to treat all people with respect.

"A lot of judges throughout the state have lost touch with that simple truth," Olds said. "My parents taught me at a young age that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and I will always conduct myself with that in mind.
"I will never forget that it is the people who put me in office and that is who I should serve."

Olds said he believes Franklin District Court should be more efficient.

"Our citizens, police officers and corrections officers are forced to waste a lot of time waiting in court," he said. "This costs our citizens time away from their jobs and families. I will seek to implement a more efficient and user friendly court."

President of the 1990 senior class at Western Hills High School, Olds has an undergraduate degree in marketing and finance from Georgetown College and a law degree from UK " graduating in the top 10 percent of his class.

He was president of the Franklin County Bar Association in 2005, and was voted "Best Attorney" in 2003 in the Best of Frankfort Awards. He has been a Franklin County Teen Court volunteer since 1998.

He's a member of Rotary and Evergreen Baptist Church.

Olds and his wife, Sarah, have two children, Ethan, 4, and Kayden, 17 months.

>Squire N. "Will" Williams, 44, has been a private practice attorney for more than eight years. He worked three years in Covington and has been a partner with Hazelrigg & Cox in Frankfort since 2002. He has practiced primarily in civil litigation, administrative law, probate, wills and trusts, and real estate law.
He is currently special master commissioner of Franklin Circuit Court and is a former deputy master commissioner.

Williams' father, Squire N. Williams Jr., was a Franklin Circuit judge from 1975 to 1985. Prior to that the senior Williams served 10 years on the former Kentucky Court of Appeals (now the Supreme Court).

"Franklin County is fortunate to have had, and continue to have, exemplary judges presiding over its courts," said Will Williams. "I hope the people of Franklin County will give me the opportunity to continue this tradition.

"My experience in practicing in courts not only in Franklin County, but across Kentucky, has given me a unique perspective of the spectrum of different styles and approaches employed by judges across the state. I will draw from this experience and bring to Franklin District Court fair but tough consideration."

A native of Frankfort, Williams is a 1982 graduate of Frankfort High School. He has a bachelor's degree in political science from UK (1987) and a law degree from Northern Kentucky University (1999).

He's a member of South Frankfort Presbyterian Church.

He and his wife, Julie, have two daughters, Lili, 12, and Dorsey, 5.