New District Judge for the 56th District Jamus Redd sits on the Trigg County bench for his first time last week.
After all, you can’t help but learn a thing or two about the job when you’ve attended district court three days a week for the last eight years.
His first full week, however, has surprised him in at least one regard.
“I never really fully realized how much a judge had to talk,” he said.
Speaking Monday after sitting on the Lyon County bench, Redd said he’d had to excuse himself at one point to get some water.
Otherwise, though, Redd said hearing the civil suits, child support cases, eviction cases, juvenile cases and even the beginnings of felony caseshas not caught him off guard, having worked all those case types as a lawyer.
“I’ve enjoyed it a whole lot,” Redd said of his first week, hoarse throat or not.
Redd said that as a law student he never knew if he’d have the opportunity to don a black robe, but he is making the most of this opportunity. Not only did he file his name to be considered for McCaslin’s appointment, but he’s also already filed to run in November for a full four-year term on the bench.
He said he was lucky, though, to also enjoy being a lawyer, since he may have to return to that role should things in November not go his way.
Though he has not yet visited one of the four counties in his district (which, in addition to Trigg, also includes Caldwell, Livingston and Lyon Counties), he has noticed some unique traits of the counties, if not their subtler nuances.
Lyon County, for instance, has some unique cases because of a truck weigh station and a state penitentiary within its borders. He also said wildlife-related charges are more prominent in Trigg and Lyon Counties.
Generally, though, he said all four counties have very similar economic backgrounds. A common thread through all the counties is the number of alcohol or drug-related cases. If those cases were all removed from the court, Redd said, “You’d have a very small docket in all four counties.”
Similarly, Redd expects the new drug court which is ready to begin in Trigg County — which encourages rehabilitation of drug offenders, incarcerating those who fail drug screenings —“will be used a whole lot.”
Redd said alcohol violations are the most common drug charge in this area, and has not been plagued by methamphetamine as with neighboring counties like Todd and Christian.
Another thing that has already struck Redd is the fact that fathers rarely accompany their children to juvenile court proceedings.
For the rest of this story, please see this week's edition of The Cadiz Record.
