Valerie Juergens Wilt

Question 1

List your judicial experience (courts and years)

I have not served as a judge.

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Question 2

What non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?

I have been a trial attorney for 33 years, helping solve problems for people dealing with life's challenges. The breadth of my experience will enable me to address all of the issues that will come before me as judge. My experience includes representing people and families who have been injured, representing victims of abuse to get the protection they need; helping parents and children in divorce and custody cases, helping grandparents protect children from the neglect of drug addicted parents, defending those who have been charged with crimes to protect their constitutional rights, and civil litigation for those who have been victims of fraud, negligence, and other claims. Having represented so many people in such diverse areas makes me uniquely qualified for this position.

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Question 3

Why are you running for this particular court seat?

For too long the court has been content with the way things have always been done. Our Municipal Court needs an upgrade. We need to do more than just put criminals in jail over and over and over again. When the jail term ends, the same behavior will often return, unless we address the mindset and behavior that got them in trouble to begin with. We need real criminal justice reform. We can protect children and families from the generational crisis of domestic violence. We can create programs that hold substance abusers accountable for following through with the treatment that they need, and improve mental health treatment. These programs have been proven to reduce the serious problem of repeat offenders in these areas. These programs are based on a carrot and a stick approach - the carrot of an opportunity for rehabilitation and the stick of sanctions, including incarceration, for noncompliance. There are more than 270 of these programs, called specialized dockets, in Ohio Courts. Clark County's adult courts have NONE. For those offenders who are eligible and agree to participate in these dockets, they are held accountable by appearing before the Judge on a regular basis to monitor compliance or impose sanctions for non-compliance. These programs create more work for the Judge, and I am not afraid of hard work. I want to bring our court into the 21st century to make this a safe, healthy, and productive place for our families and children.