Name: Allen E. Moss, Jr.
Age 53
Immediate Family Wife – Kathryn; Children – Courtney, Trey and Thomas
Education background 1983 Southeast Missouri State University, Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice; 1986 Southern Illinois University School of Law
Current Employment or if retired, previous employment experience Attorney and Senior Partner in Moss, Stillwell & Surratt, LLC; Municipal Judge, Scott City, Missouri
Any club or church affiliation: First Baptist Church of Jackson (23 years); Missouri Bar Association; Cape Girardeau County Bar Association; Missouri Municipal and Associate Circuit Judge Association; Cape Girardeau Evening Optimist Club; Original Member, Community Traffic Safety Committee; Original Member, Emergency 911 Advisory Board, Cape Girardeau County; National Rifle Association, Life Member; Missouri Right to Life; Missouri Farm Bureau; American Quarter Horse Association; National Cutting Horse Association
What prompted you to seek office? Was it a personal initiative, or were you encouraged by others to do so?
I believe that we need an experienced Circuit Court Judge, and my 27 years of trial experience have prepared me for the job. I am running for office because this will give me an opportunity to further my service to our community.
How could the costs of judicial administration be reduced? Can you give us a specific example of how you have reduced costs in your law practice/court?
I would support the expanded use of video arraignments and court appearances in criminal cases. Currently, our jails in the three counties are at capacity, which is a burden on taxpayers, and a significant number of inmates in our jails are merely awaiting a court date. Video arraignments also reduce the burden on law enforcement in transporting inmates to and from the courthouse.
How do you deal with difficult people, including peers, lawyers, clients, or litigants?
While practicing law for 27 years, including 16 as a municipal judge, I have dealt with all types of difficult situations and have learned to focus on the law and the evidence. My life experience as a father of three children, ranging in age from 15 to 24, has made me more patient.
Please describe a situation in which you took a controversial position that angered or offended people, and explain how you handled it.
The justice system by its very nature is adversarial, and as an attorney and as a judge, people will disagree with positions taken and decisions made. As a municipal judge for 16 years, I have always made decisions based on the evidence and law.
Please describe your administrative experience. What are your primary strengths as a supervisor? As an administrator?
As a municipal judge for 16 years, I have handled over 20,000 cases through my court. I have the experience of scheduling court dockets, managing court clerk and staff, as well as operating the court's budget. I am also the senior and managing partner of my law firm, responsible for four attorneys and five staff.
Please describe your first- hand experiences, if any, dealing with people who are different from you socially, economically, or politically.
Over 27 years of practicing law, as a private practice attorney, prosecutor, and a judge, I have come into daily contact with people from a different background. Everyone is important regardless of their social status. The most important case to each client is their own. Whether as a judge or as an attorney, I have always handled each case as if they were the most important to me.
Do you think the court system is working or do you believe the civil or criminal justice system is breaking down?
At the present time, our circuit has been recognized as one of the best in moving cases through the system in a timely manner, and I applaud the judges in our circuit for disposing of cases in an efficient and timely manner. Overcrowding of our jails has become a concern. I would support the establishment of a drug court in Perry County provided that we can pay for it without further burdening the taxpayer. I do not believe that those engaged in the sale and distribution of drugs should be placed in drug court. However, drug court can deal with non-violent offenders in a firm manner while keeping them from burdening our jails. I am also committed to finding ways to reduce litigation expenses for people who find themselves in the court system. We should be open to change and look at the practices of other courts.
What types of clients have you represented while you have been an attorney?
My private practice is focused on criminal law, family law and injury cases, which amount to about 85-percent of the Circuit Judge's case load. As a prosecutor, I represented the state of Missouri and the city of Cape Girardeau. As an Assistant Attorney General, I represented the state of Missouri and fought to keep sex offenders from gaining early parole. This experience is especially valuable given that over 50-percent of the Circuit Judge's case load deals with felony criminal cases.
Why should voters support you rather than your opponent?
Experience is absolutely vital for a Circuit Court Judge. I have 27 years of experience and I am the only candidate in the race with any judicial or prosecutorial experience.
This will allow me to do the job right from day one. I won't have to spend any time playing catch-up.
What were the most important cases you had as a lawyer and why did you take the position you did in those cases?
Every case involving the welfare of a child or someone's freedom is an important case. I accept cases based on their merit and whether the client's position is supported by the evidence and law.
Do you possess any expertise in a field other than law?
I raise, train and show horses. I have also been trained and served as a fireman.
Do you have aspirations of seeking a higher-level political office?
No.
0 comments:
Post a Comment