Here at Weld, we know that politicians have the right to free speech and we believe in their right to exercise it. In Election Connection, we offer local politicians the chance to explain to their constituents what makes them unique. The next submission is from Democrat judicial candidate David Carpenter.
I am David Carpenter, candidate for Circuit Court Judge, Jefferson County (10th Judicial Circuit), Place #5. I am the Democratic Party nominee for this position.
I have over 15 years courtroom experience in state and federal courts at both the trial and appellate levels, which makes me by far the most experienced lawyer in this race. I am currently a private practice attorney handling cases in civil court, family court and criminal matters. I have handled complex litigation as a defense attorney and as a plaintiff’s attorney. I have represented clients in hundreds of misdemeanor and felony cases. My opponent has never represented anyone as an attorney in any court.
The focus of my campaign is to bring attention to the programs we currently have in Jefferson County that have been proven to be effective in reducing crime. These programs include drug court, domestic violence court, and mental health court.
Additionally, I propose the establishment of a VETERANS’ COURT program, designed for defendants who have served in the United States Armed Forces who are experiencing treatable behavioral and chemical health issues, such as PTSD, TBI, anger management/domestic violence and/or substance abuse or chemical dependency. A defendant must be willing to take full responsibility for their crimes, undergo 12 months of court supervision and random drug tests. Upon successful completion of the program, the criminal charges are dismissed. Veteran’s Court will be more economically efficient than incarceration and will send the message to our veterans that we will give back to those who have given so much to us. Jefferson County does not currently have such a program.
Veterans Courts were recently looked at on the October 7th episode of “60 Minutes,” where the effectiveness and necessity of such programs were discussed in depth. Federal grants are currently available for Veterans Court programs. Such programs are being started all over the country (over 40 such programs to date), and federal grants are being used to pay for programs in jurisdictions of similar size to Jefferson County, such as Louisville, KY, Santa Barbara, CA, and Oklahoma City.
If elected I will seek the federal funds for Jefferson County and I will take the initiative to start the program. For more information about me and my campaign please go to carpenterforjudgecampaign.com, or look me up on Facebook.