Voters hear from Family Court candidates

Published 10:39 pm Thursday, September 7, 2023

The group sponsored a forum at the Lake Charles Civic Center, which was attended by about 400 people.

Some came with their minds made up. Others were undecided and eager to hear how candidates for 14th Judicial Family & Juvenile Court Judge, Division C; District Court Judge of Division F and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff would set themselves apart.

“This is not about the candidate,” SWLA Association of Realtors board president Tim Castle said. “This is about the public, a forum to help you learn about the issues important to you and to Calcasieu Parish.”

The public learned how the family court judge determines child and spousal support, places a value on property and is called to make tough decisions when it comes to the lives of children.

After a two-hour meet and greet the forum began.

Fourteenth Judicial Family & Juvenile Court Judge candidates William J. “Bill Cutrera, Brad Guillory and Mark Judson answered questions posed by moderator Gus Fontenot, Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance.

“Anyone who knows anything about family court in Calcasieu Parish knows it’s the most inefficient system around,” Brad Guilory said in his opening remarks.

Guillory said a case can drag on for two years, and in Jeff Davis and Allen parishes, the same decisions take only three or four months.

He said experience that sets him apart from the other candidates includes law enforcement. Guillory has not only handled adoptions in his practice, but he has also adopted children.  He has been practicing law since 2002 in three states exposing him to different courts and court systems.

Guillory said he can reduce the time for trying cases in Calcasieu by half.

Judson has been practicing law for over 30 years, and he said he offers a unique blend of community collaboration and legal expertise.

“For the past 12 of those 30 years of practicing law, I was the executive director of the Southwest Louisiana Law Center, a nonprofit law firm that helps the under-resourced with civil legal matters,” Judson said. “Most of these are family law cases.”

Judson said just about all legal problems are symptomatic of a larger root cause problem. He named mental health, addiction, power and control issues. He believes his collaboration with nonprofits and senior, child, women and veteran advocacy groups gives him a “unique mix of legal and community experience.”

Cutrera said in his 36 years of practicing law, he’s handled the many different types of cases that he’ll handle as judge, divorces, child custody, child support, juvenile delinquency, juvenile crimes and termination of parental rights. He said a good judge is a judge who has actually tried the cases on which he will be required to make decisions about. He doesn’t plan to legislate from the bench, he said.

“I will apply the law as it is written by the legislature. If a law needs to be changed, if it’s a bad law, then it goes before the legislature,” Cutrera said. “I’m running because I deeply care about this community and the families in it.

The forum for sheriff did not finish in time to make the American Press print edition.

George Swift, Alliance President and CEO reminded the public to get out and vote.

“Turnout has been so low for past elections, we consider a 40 percent turnout a great turnout,” he said. “That’s awful.” Swift said it’s important to vote if you’re registered and those who are not registered have until September 15 to do so.

Go to the Facebook site, SWLA Realtors Voter Outreach to see a recording of this event that includes not only candidates for Family Court, but also Sa’Tricia Williams Bensaadat and Bobby Holmes, candidates for 14th Judicial District Court Judge, Div. F and Dustan Abshire, “Les” Blanchard, Elizabeth Carrier, “Stitch” Guillory and Mike Reid, candidates for Calcasieu Parish Sheriff.