Ahern announces candidacy for Family Court judge

6th October 2014   ·   0 Comments

By Christopher Tidmore
what is non cash loan Contributing Writer

Orleans Family Court candidate Janet Ahern recollects, “In 1993, my career took a turn when I was hired to handle a custody case. My client, who felt outgunned in the initial stages of her divorce, decided to concede on the custody of her children. After some time passed and at the request and urging of her children, she decided to modify custody. Despite my lack of experience, she asked me to take her case, and I accepted. It was a difficult case even before it went to trial. At the end of the trial, I could see the results of all our work: my client achieved her goal of changing the custody arrangements for her children.”

“That case changed the course of my career. Since that time I have represented hundreds of people in their family court cases: mothers and fathers, children, and grandparents. Each case is unique, each issue is unique, each result is unique.”

Ahern hopes to extend the same perspective if elected to Orleans Parish’s Civil District Court’s Family Court section this fall. As she explains in an interview with The Louisiana Weekly, “I have been practicing law for over 27 years and have specialized in the family law area for the majority of that time. I have long supported the creation of a family court in New Orleans. During my career, I payday loans in maryland heights mo have seen the benefit of having permanent family court judges. My experience over the past 27 years has shown me every issue in family court is deeply personal to those involved and strikes to the heart of their lives.”

“It has taken many years and the support of our legislature to create permanent family courts for our city. It is my desire to make this reform successful. As a family court judge I will have more and better opportunities to help families and children. I will use my knowledge and experience to create a court process the public can rely on – a more compassionate, effective, responsive and efficient system.”

Ahern outlined three primary campaign planks. First, she noted that “Docket Management” was critically important. “When setting matters on the court’s docket, I will consider the schedules of the parties, witnesses, experts and attorneys, and work to decrease wasted time, expenses and court costs.”

“Further, when setting the docket I will consider the nature of the matter that is being set. For example, a confirmation of a divorce does not require the same time as a more complex issue such as custody. I will also set matters throughout the day (“staggered settings”), rather than setting all matters at the same time, which will prevent people from sitting all day long in court when their matter may only take a few minutes.”

“I will maintain a current docket, with all initial setting scheduled within 30 days of filing. I will work with the State of Louisiana to increase efficiency in non-support cases, and designate one day per week to handle “State” cases. I will meet with stakeholders regularly to determine better methods to get matters processed more expeditiously.”

Secondly, she desires to expand the court’s “Community Engage­ment”. As she states, “I will work with the schools, churches and non-profits to develop a support network of counselors available to all income levels in order to assist with the issues arising during their cases. This counseling will assist the court in making decisions in the best interest of the children. In addition, available counseling will help parents understand how separation, divorce, and ongoing parental conflict impact their children. Counseling will also assist the parents to better deal with their feelings and the conflict – and better outcomes for families are the primary mission of the court.”

Additionally, I would create a coalition of attorneys and community members to meet quarterly (or more frequently, if needed) to provide feedback to the court – identify programs that are working, propose ideas on how to improve existing programs, and even create new programs to address new challenges before they reach the crisis point.”

Lastly, she seeks to “Utilize Alternate payday loans garland tx Dispute Resolution” in three distinct ways. Collaborative Divorce – “resolution of the issues without litigation with the help of a multi-disciplinary team”; Mediation – “Negotiation with the assistance of a neutral third party”; and Cooperative Parenting and Divorce Course – “to help shield children from conflict, including an eight-week co-parenting course”.

Critics have said that specialization within the Civil District Court, such as a Family Court section, is unnecessary. Ahern strongly disagrees. “Specializa­tion is essential for consistency, and consistency is especially important in family law cases because they are complex and often take a long time to adjudicate.”

In fact, she argues, “The biggest problem at the CDC right now is being solved by the creation of permanent family court judges. Therefore, families will be assigned the same judge for all of their issues, allowing the judge to have a greater understanding of the family unit and to rule in a consistent manner.”

When asked if she believes if a candidate for judge should have to practice at least 12 years, and whether she would support legislation to that end, Ahern answered, “To make good decisions as a judge, I believe that life experience is at least as important as legal knowledge. I support increasing minimum requirements not just because judicial candidates will have more legal experience, but because of the added life experience. Whether the right number of years payday loans that offer payments is 11 or 12 or 15, it’s hard to say. But I am, in principle, in support of a time requirement.”

As to the current controversy whether the retirement age for judges be maintained at its current level or be abolished, she effectively sidestepped the question. “I think it’s good that the legislature is asking the people to decide whether there should be a maximum age for those who represent them. The voters should get to decide whether that’s a qualification issue.”

The Family Court aspirant concluded noting, “More than 50 percent of the current litigants in the Orleans Parish Family Court system have one or both of the parties unrepresented. The current forms that are available to pro se litigants need to be expanded. Additionally, I will work with the Pro Bono Project and NOLAC to assist in processing their divorce workshop. Further-more, it is important that the Family Court be able to respond to the needs of all our citizens. I intend to make that happen.”

“My first client showed me the value attorneys can have in our system. From that case and each one that has followed, I have gained insight into people: parents, children, husbands, wives, and even grandparents. Those experiences will guide me as a judge in Family Court.”

This article originally published in the October 6, 2014 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.