BELINDA SCHWEIGERT
FOR JUSTICE OF THE PEACE
What Does Justice Court Do?
For some background, there are 3 tiers of government: Legislative Branch, Executive Branch and Judicial Branch.
Legislative Branch: This branch makes our laws.
Executive Branch: This branch is responsible for enforcing laws. This includes citations written by the Sheriff’s Department, Montana Highway Patrol, Fish Wildlife and Parks and other local entities. The County Attorney’s office is the prosecutor for these charges.
Judicial Branch: This is Justice Court. The four pillars of justice are:
* Fairness in the processes
* Transparency in actions
* Opportunities for voice
* Impartiality in decision making
Justice Court has been referred to The People’s Court. The people need to have a voice. The court must remain neutral to ensure fairness to both prosecution and defense. Its decisions should be made based on fact and law as presented by both parties and the Justice of the Peace should not rule based on personal feelings or experiences.
In addition to criminal charges, Justice Court also handles Orders of Protection, Civil Cases and Small Claims Cases.
The People's Choice
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In March of this year, a temporary position opened for the Justice of the Peace. There were 5 applicants for this position. Applications were due on Friday, and the appointment was announced on Monday just after 9:00 a.m. There were no interviews, by telephone or in person. Only 2 of 3 Commissioners voted on this appointment that affects all of Park County.
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The definition of incumbent is simply an individual who currently has an obligation to the position or office they hold. The incumbent in this election has only been in this position since May of 2024.
I believe that all of the citizens of Park County should decide who will be their Justice of the Peace, so this campaign is the time to “interview” the candidates and make their decision at the polls on November 5, 2024.
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