Former prosecutor seeks Orleans judge post

By Christopher Tidmore
Contributing Writer

When voters ask Glen Woods what drove him to run for Criminal Court Judge, he is known to respond, “There but for the grace of God, go I.”

As he recollects, “When I look back at my life and my upbringing, I often say [that]. That could be me on the other side of the bench, at the defense table, or on the witness stand or as the victim of a violent crime.”

Glen Woods

“I am a native New Orleanian who comes from humble beginnings. We are going through a difficult time in this city right now,” Woods continued, “crime is out of control and I know that I can be a part of the solution from the bench. Today, I am ready and prepared to make a difference.

“Having practiced law for 26 years, 16 of those years as a criminal prosecutor, and having seen the numbers of mostly impoverished young African-American men coming through the criminal court system, I strongly believe that I can make a bigger difference in the New Orleans community from the bench as opposed to the bar. I have always been passionate about keeping the citizens of New Orleans safe, and have seen firsthand the devastation that families and victims of crimes experience. As a Criminal Court Judge, the citizens of New Orleans can be assured that justice in my courtroom will be administered fairly, impartially and appropriately to all.”

Woods listed his top three campaign planks as first, “Administration of justice fairly and impartially.”

“As a judge,” he explained, “it is critical that you apply the law fairly and impartially so that no miscarriage of justice occurs on either side. It is important to a defendant that their rights are not violated, and equally important to the citizens of New Orleans and victims of crime, that they are protected. If elected, I promise to make my judicial determinations based on the evidence and the law. Be assured that there will never be a ruling from the bench based on personal feelings, prejudices, interference or influence of third parties.”

Second, Woods noted that a Judge must be “efficient and effective [in the] administration of justice.”

“As a judge you have to balance the legal process and the administrative process. One of the keys to doing that is to manage the court’s docket effectively and efficiently. I am committed to moving the docket at an efficient pace to ensure the defendant’s right to a speedy trial. The judge must work with the prosecution and the defense to ensure that both sides are ready to go before the morning of trial.”

Third, a judge must have “com­munity visibility and col­la­bo­ration.”

“I am committed to being visible in the community and working with the New Orleans school systems, churches and community organizations to educate our youth about the criminal justice system. We have all heard that old saying, ‘It’s easy to get into trouble but hard to get out of it.’ It is imperative that we work with our young men and women early, through education, deterrence and prevention to keep them out of the system. A judge elected by the people steps into the role of being a public servant. I am committed to working hard from the bench as well as working hard in the community, in any way I can, when the judicial robe comes off.”

The election is October 22, 2011. Woods has one major opponent, attorney Franz Zibilich.

This article was originally published in the September 26, 2011 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper