Capable judge

Jefferson County voters on Tuesday should return County Judge Kim L. Martusewicz to office for a second 10-year term on the bench.

Judge Martusewicz has the heaviest caseload of any felony judge in the state. He has presided over more than 5,000 cases in his first term and the caseload is expected to grow. He has a solid record that attests to his understanding of the law and judicial proceedings with only four cases reversed on appeal.

During his tenure, Judge Martusewicz has kept his caseload manageable through a felony screening process meeting with defense attorneys and prosecutors to discuss a case and move it more quickly through the system, sometimes by avoiding a grand jury proceeding.

Judge Martusewicz, a graduate of St. Lawrence University and Western New England Law School in Massachusetts, has been protective of defendants' constitutional rights against overly aggressive police tactics. He has shown himself to be a fair and independent judge.

He has served the people capably. The Times recommends him for re-election.