Lawyers make case for judicial election

Two experienced lawyers are making their cases to Perry County, Missouri, voters before next week's election.

Craig Brewer, running as an independent, and Jason Tilley, a Republican, are seeking the position being vacated by Associate Judge Michael Bullerdieck, who is retiring.

Both candidates sought the position in 2010, but Bullerdieck beat Tilley in the primary before going on to defeat Brewer -- who ran as a Democrat -- in the general election.

Brewer decided to run as an independent this time, partly because he feels the party label may have created "preconceived notions" among voters last time, he said.

"I took a look at the political landscape, and it seems to me that partisan politics has become fairly vicious," Brewer said. "I thought in an election of this nature, judicial election, politics should play a lesser role in voters' decision."

Craig Brewer

Tilley said a judge's political leanings should have no bearing on his decisions in the courtroom.

"Politics has no place on the bench," he said. "I have appeared in front of probably 50 different judges throughout Southeast Missouri, and all of them had two things in common: All of them were a member of a political party, and not one of them made a decision based on politics. ... I'm not in his heart or in his mind, but at the end of the day, not one of us is going to make a decision based on what party we belong to or what party we used to belong to."

Both Brewer and Tilley have legal experience.

Brewer has been in the profession for 16 years, while Tilley said he spent several years working with developmentally disabled adults before graduating from law school 13 years ago.

"I've had 16 years of experience as a general-practice attorney, and I think not only the quantity of my experience but the quality of my experience is superior," Brewer said.

He said his practice has given him chances to handle family, criminal, juvenile, probate and civil cases.

"I'm going to suggest that the associate circuit judge does a heck of a lot more than criminal law. ... That's where that experience really is evident, and I have it," Brewer said.

He also cited his temperament, integrity and fairness as assets.

"I just like to treat people fairly, and I think I'm in a good position to be impartial and do the job well," Brewer said.

Tilley spent six years as a public defender before starting his firm in February 2007. In his private practice, he has continued to handle criminal cases but has worked probate, juvenile, small claims and custody cases, he said.

Tilley emphasized his experience as a criminal lawyer, noting he has tried more than 30 serious felony cases before juries.

In addition, Tilley said, his previous profession gave him practice treating people with dignity and compassion.

"Sometimes the best experience a judge can get is the time he spent -- as an adult -- not as an attorney, because we can't forget that the people we see every day are not attorneys," he said.

One way Tilley said he can bring that experience in the courtroom is in helping people understand what's going on as they try to navigate an unfamiliar system.

"I worked with the developmentally disabled population ... and I think that that has kind of given me a unique insight into dealing with the different personalities that come before the court," he said.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Perry County, MO