Judge, lawyer vie for traffic court
The race to replace Vic Fleming, who is retiring this year as Little Rock’s traffic court judge, is a contest between Pulaski County Circuit Judge Herb Wright and Little Rock attorney Robert Tellez.
Voters from Pulaski and Perry counties will choose Fleming’s successor in Tuesday’s nonpartisan judicial elections, which are conducted simultaneously with the political primaries. Early voting runs through Monday.
The four-year position, which pays $168,803 a year, is listed on the ballot as State District Judge, District 31, Little Rock 2. The winner will take over from Fleming on Jan. 1 after he completes 28 years on the bench. Since the post was converted from a municipal court to a state district court in 2016, the judge’s duties also include hearing some circuit court proceedings like orders of protection, evictions and child support.
Tellez, 44, who has the campaign website www.tellez4judge. com, has been a lawyer for 17 years, in private practices most of that time, and founding his own firm in 2015. Wright,
61, has been a judge for 19 years, 15 of those on the Little Rock-based Sixth Judicial Circuit of Perry and Pulaski counties. His campaign site is www.electjudgeherbwright.com
Wright, of North Little Rock, said he had to be talked into running for the post, saying that he’d been approached by folks who’ve had problems in traffic court, among them police officers, attorneys and regular citizens.
Wright decided to pursue it for the challenge of reforming the court to operate more efficiently, using the skills and knowledge he’s acquired in his tenure on the bench.
“Most of these issues stem from one overarching theme: efficiency,” he said. “The process should be simple and efficient, but that is not always the case. I want to make sure it is in Little Rock Traffic Court.”
Police officers complain about being summoned to court for hours, then never called to testify while lawyers have told him they can’t get cases resolved in a timely manner, which affects their income since it limits them from seeking new clients, as well as forcing them to charge their clients more when being paid per-hour.
“The biggest concern for citizens going through the court system for minor traffic offenses is the time they must take off work, which can result in reduced income on top of having to pay their ticket,” he said. “Traffic Court is the court that people are most likely to have contact with. Whether you’re old, young, wealthy, or poor, just about everyone drives at some point. Everyone who drives must obey the rules and when they don’t, whether intentional or a simple lapse of attention, Traffic court is where they come to plead their case or pay their fine.”
Wright began his judicial career in 2005 as Wrightsville District judge, a part-time position that’s since been merged into the Jacksonville District. He was also in practice as a criminal defense attorney for more than 15 years. Elected circuit judge in 2008 without opposition, Wright is four years into his third six-year term as a circuit judge.
“My goal has always been — and will continue to be — ensuring that everyone is treated fairly and respectfully, that they have a meaningful opportunity to tell their story and that the system does not overwhelm them, regardless of money or resources,” he said.
Tellez said he brings a diversity of experience to the position, as both a lawyer practicing statewide versed in criminal defense and civil litigation, and a small business owner with a staff of about 10.
“I’ve traveled around the state of Arkansas and also worked here in central Arkansas.
I’ve seen the power of how a good judge can make a courtroom feel like a place of hope where everybody has an opportunity for their story to be told,” he said. “And then I’ve seen the opposite, where a judge who is impatient or angry … can really be a toxic force for justice and for those people in the court.”
Tellez said his administration would also focus on creating courtroom efficiencies that respect both law enforcement and the individual defendant.
“We have to take care of people … but do it in a compassionate way focused on the individual defendant. Whether it be their first offense, whether they’re [a] multiple offender, whether they’re committing reckless acts that are putting the community in danger, whether they’re indigent. And if somebody can’t pay the fine, making sure that we have organizations to do community service and make our community better,” he said.
“I do believe we have to improve our relationship with the Little Rock Police Department and with the police officers because I do hear a lot of that they don’t feel like traffic court respects their time. I don’t want to be a part of making our law enforcement’s job harder because they’re the ones out there on the streets protecting us.”
Tellez said the duties of the judge play to his strengths as both an active listener who wants to hear all sides of the story and a bridge-builder who looks to find consensus when he can. He said he’s spent the past decade preparing himself to be a judge, both by honing his legal skills and by forming relationships to help him develop a broad perspective for the community.
“I’ve been really preparing myself since 2014, both through the practice of law, continuing to become a competent, criminal defense attorney, personal injury attorney. And then also building the relationships throughout the community, both with lawyers, through things like the Judge Henry Woods Inn of The Court … the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce and the LULAC [civil rights] organization … which provides scholarships to Latino students, college students.” LULAC is the League of United Latin American Citizens.