For Wendy Wood

In the court of appeals race

LOOKING at the campaign committees for both candidates in the central Arkansas court of appeals race, it would seem that if either of them could just get all the members of her committee to vote, she’d probably win.

We didn’t know that campaign committees had dozens and dozens (and dozens) of people on them these days. We’d hate to see the footnotes on those committee reports.

There are more races for judicial seats in Arkansas this year than just the state Supreme Court. There is an open one on the Court of Appeals, District 6, Position 2. Which means you’ll see it on your ballot if you live in Pulaski, Perry or Saline counties.

You’ll also see Wendy Wood’s campaign signs all around central Arkansas. She’s the one holding the basketball. She seems like a person who would understand the inner workings of the appeals court already because she’s been a lawyer for 25 years and . . . . Well, let her tell it:

“[F]or the past 15 years, I devoted myself to public service as an attorney at the Arkansas Court of Appeals, working each day directly with retiring Judge Larry Vaught. Today I am now running for his seat, and I bring to the table experience in having handled over 1,500 appeals and written over 500 draft opinions for him. I am uniquely qualified to bring about swift justice and will be ready to serve you on day one.”

“I promise to give easy-to-follow decisions on important topics such as domestic law, where children and families await life-changing decisions. Criminal appeals deserve the same decisive treatment so that victims of violent crime will understand that our justice system continues to be the best in the world. There is truth to the saying ‘justice delayed is justice denied.’”

To have easy-to-follow decisions would be a welcome relief in any courtroom. Lawyers don’t necessarily write to be understood, but to be legal. Would that a judge’s decisions could be both!

The state Supreme Court race is an important one. But don’t forget about the others. There are decisions that must be made in courtrooms before any supreme court gets the cases.

We recommend Wendy Wood for this one.