Hallett will open court

I write to ask all residents of Jefferson County to support John Hallett for county court judge. John has been a local court judge for several years, and he is competent, capable and dignified. He is fair and honest. He is an exemplary judge.

Our current county court judge is none of those things. I have seen him in action. First of all, he does most of the court's business behind closed doors. Go there on a Monday morning for that day's cases. You will sit and wait for hours, and when the court does finally start, the judge will simply announce the names of cases that have been rescheduled.

Where is the public's right to know what is happening? Why are cases that are scheduled for that day not heard in open court? Why the secrecy? Then, if there is something going on with a case in the courtroom, the judge is rude and nasty to people. He yells at the lawyers and the defendants. This is not the way a county court judge should act.

It is time to restore a public court here in Watertown, with a judge who does not do things in secret. Vote for John Hallett and bring open justice back.

Laura J. Bennett

Watertown