Judy Conard is running for Judge on her qualifications. I’ve decided to vote for her because in my assessment, there is no question she has the broader, more comprehensive, experience to offer.

No ill intended, but Judy’s opponent does not have the full range of experience I think we need in a Superior Court Judge. He does not have prosecutorial experience at all while Judy has worked both as a prosecutor and a public defender.  

Also, Judy’s taken many jury trials to verdict and it seems her opponent has not – at least from what I’ve been able to determine from reading his campaign literature.

Another thing that really impresses me about Judy is how hard she’s worked to get where she is today.  Imagine earning a law degree at night while raising a family and working full time as a teacher? That takes a high degree of commitment and dedication, two important attributes she will bring to the judiciary.

I checked Judy’s website and noticed that she’s been endorsed by a cross-section of people in our county, including two judges, the superintendent of schools, attorneys, teachers, peace officers and people from all walks of life.

I also noticed she was evaluated by the California State Bar’s Commission on Judicial Nominees. I looked them up on the Web and found out that this is the commission that vets candidates for the governor’s judicial appointments. That tells me her experience and background was subjected to a lot of scrutiny. To me, that speaks volumes.

If you got a mailer from Judy’s opponent or saw his recent ad, you may wonder about the issue of Judy being sanctioned by the courts. This is a distraction. In fact Judy was doing her level best to represent her client and she’s standing by her decision. That’s what an honest, dedicated, ethical attorney does.

Sometimes it’s difficult to distinguish between candidates. Not in this case. Judy Conard is clearly the most qualified candidate for Superior Court Judge.

Nola Montgomery lives in Lower Lake, Calif.