Monday, August 02, 2010

Juhl S. Halvorson candidate for Minnesota Sixth District Court Judge 11

1. Why are you running?
It would be a great honor and responsibility to serve the public as a District Court Judge. I have been selected by community members as a leader with a demonstrated passion for helping children. I am a volunteer on the board of directors for Northwood Children’s Services where I was chair for two terms. I also volunteer as a youth softball coach and I am the President of the Duluth Harbortown Rotary Club. Finally, I have the breadth of relevant experience that prepares me for the position. My legal experience includes civil matters such as employment law, real estate, probate, estate planning, business, family law and criminal matters. I have argued cases at both the Minnesota Court of Appeals and the Minnesota Supreme Court. I also work as an Assistant Professor of Business Law at the University of Minnesota-Duluth where I have taught over 600 students in the last 5 years about legal procedure, laws relating to individuals and businesses, and ethics.
My knowledge of family law, real estate, probate, business matters and criminal law will allow me to efficiently work as a judge.
2. Juvenile detention
As an initial matter, I believe that the law should apply equally to everyone and I intend to be fair and unbiased in each and every case, no matter who the participants are. Judges can ensure equitable treatment in their own courtroom. There should be a graduated system of sanctions and interventions. If a child demonstrates appropriate behavior change there should be less intervention. I would look at the array of services and programs available for troubled youth. We need to provide necessary mental health services, drug and alcohol treatment and also ensure that each child has an adult in the community that cares, whether it be a parent, family member or mentor.