Hoag, McCrory competing to fill position of retiring Judge Jim Welker
Election 2012
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Jack Hoag and Barbara McCrory campaign to be Rock County Circuit Court Judge. WCLO's Jon Meerdink reports.
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Barbara McCrory currently serves as a court commissioner in Rock County and is hoping to be elected judge.
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Jack Hoag is a busy Janesville attorney that is hoping to be elected a Rock County judge.
JANESVILLE — Judge Jim Welker spent much of late summer 1988 on a stairwell in the former Rock County Courthouse in Beloit.
He was sworn in as judge Aug. 1 that year, and he found himself regularly seeking help from Judge J. Richard Long, whose office was connected to Welker’s by a staircase.
“The first year on the job, I was running up and down those stairs with a great deal of frequency,” Welker said.
Welker will retire this year, and two Rock County legal professionals are running to replace him. Rock and Jefferson county Family Court Commissioner Barbara McCrory faces Janesville attorney Jack Hoag.
They survived a six-way primary in February, and one of them will be elected Tuesday to a six-year term.
Although the office of circuit court judge is an elected one in Wisconsin, judges more often than not are appointed for a short time and then elected to subsequent terms.
Rock County is no exception. Of the county’s seven judges, only two—Welker and Alan Bates—were elected without first being appointed by a governor. Bates was elected in 2004.
That means voters don’t get a lot of opportunities to pick new judges. Nor do most people see judges on the job.
How should voters measure candidates for judge?
Janesville attorney George Steil Jr. said the best way to get informed before Tuesday’s election is to ask someone who knows.
“This can be from an attorney standpoint, from a judicial standpoint or from anyone with a position at the courthouse where they have the ability to observe on a regular basis,” Steil said.
Steil spent eight years as an appointed member of Gov. Tommy Thompson’s Judicial Selection Advisory Council. Each governor selects a council that is tasked with recommending people to fill vacancies if judges retire or leave the bench in mid-term.
Welker probably wasn’t alone when he needed help early in his judicial career, Steil said. It’s a challenge to learn how to handle the job of judge. The best way to be ready is by having a wide variety of experience as an attorney prior to the election, he said.
“It’s very difficult for a judge to learn on the job because a judge doesn’t have the ability during a trial to get assistance from others,” Steil said. “The judge has to make those decisions on the spot.”
Breadth of experience was the leading factor Steil and his colleagues considered when recommending judges for appointment to vacant benches during Thompson’s governorship.
But it wasn’t the only factor, he said.
The committee also considered a candidate’s reputation in the community for fairness and demeanor.
“It’s important that a judge’s decisions not only be right but that they be accepted and respected,” Steil said.
Welker, who wrote a letter to The Gazette editor endorsing Hoag, said the most important characteristic for making a good judge is a “really good” work ethic. Experience with making a budget, meeting a payroll and managing an office would get a new judge off to a good start, Welker said.
“I have kind of jokingly said a couple times that they ought to write into the statute that a candidate has to file last year’s tax return to show you’re taking a pay cut,” Welker said.
Rock County Bar Association President Tim Lindau stood by what he said in January when the bar released results of a poll that asked attorneys whether each of the six candidates was qualified for the job.
Every attorney gives a different weight to the characteristics he or she sees as important in a judge candidate, Lindau said. The poll is subjective, Lindau said.
Of the attorneys polled at the time, 82 said Hoag was qualified for the job, 12 said he was unqualified and nine had no opinion. When considering McCrory, 92 said she was qualified, four said she was not qualified and eight had no opinion.
For Lindau, competency, temperament, patience and demeanor top the list of important job skills for judges, he said.
“Commitment and work ethic are up there, too,” Lindau said. “A strong work ethic is important so that judges are willing to get their hands dirty and research issues independently and not just wait for counsel to file briefs.”
Lindau does not have a set opinion about whether a professional committee or the voting public is better suited to pick a judge. Both methods have benefits, he said. A committee might bring professional experience to the job, but voters know their community, he said.
“I’ve gone back and forth,” Lindau said. “It’s hard to argue in favor of taking away an opportunity for people to vote.
“The electorate by and large get it right.”
Apr 4, 2012 at 6:45 p.m.
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So wiggle your comment suggests that someone went and voted under FALSE pretense. So SAD! And really it shows how he got his 48% vote that did him no good! CAUSE HE STILL LOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LMAO!
Apr 4, 2012 at 8:50 a.m.
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saxcat70 said on Apr 3, 2012 at 6:47 p.m.:
'I voted. also sent a friend up to vote in my wife's place. I saw her name in the book and knew she wasn't gonna. name and address, that's all you need'
saxcat70
Apr 4, 2012 at 7:21 a.m.
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ty gandalf. no body wastes government resources like the left
Apr 3, 2012 at 4:22 a.m.
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madkoop 33 its at rest now and I am happy I finally got to tell my story! And just because I don't live in WI does not say I don't have rights to post on here. My case is still there and so is the deadbeat! Just think a couple more years and the tax payers get to support him too. Whohoo. Hope you all have a wonderful day. PS wiggle that sounds like a dream come true! Congrats!
Apr 2, 2012 at 11:27 p.m.
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Straighforward - let it rest... you said it yourself that you do not even live in WI... go to bed and let us vote Hoag in as judge!
Apr 2, 2012 at 10:58 p.m.
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Straight I'm sorry I didn't mention I dated my ex for 3 years before we got married, so official married for 8 love of my life for 11
Apr 2, 2012 at 10:52 p.m.
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You kill me - I have no reason to put her down, two very good candidates!
Straight - As for my time line, I'm old sweetheart - past 50, and didn't hire the right lawyer to get the job done until 3 years ago.
Lets see if this helps you- I was 19 when I married, had my daughter at 26, was divorced at 27, ex ran when our daughter was 13 I was 39, took me 10 years to find him.
So time line is fine.
I'm sure my ex is on the same side of the fence as you when it comes to disliking Hoag. Face it, every lawyer helps some and hurts some depending on which side of the court house your on.
Apr 2, 2012 at 10 p.m.
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Night all hope you are all fired up to vote and thats good! Janesville needs a change. Your heart will lead you to the winner.
Apr 2, 2012 at 9:58 p.m.
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Don't get me wrong but it sounds like you all speak like Mr. Hoag. Brings up the old days of hearing the short arguments in court with him. Its almost like its him talking.
Apr 2, 2012 at 9:55 p.m.
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wiggle, the one thing that strikes me unusual, but a welcome tone to your comments is you're actually presenting your own real life experience in support for one candidate without tearing the other candidate, McCrory or anyone down. I don't know if the regular negative bomb-throwers that troll these pages can handle that, as you can see.
But that speaks volumes.
Apr 2, 2012 at 9:42 p.m.
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Oh and about the 16 year old get drunk at a party dont ASSUME things you don't know!
Apr 2, 2012 at 9:35 p.m.
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Wiggle your numbers don't add up! Anyway some of us have to work for a living to go support the future welfare recipents, so night peeps! I will be supporting all my McCrory voters tommorrow!
Apr 2, 2012 at 9:33 p.m.
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You are all too funny, You all get so riled up about your supposed friend Mr. Hoag! LMAO I don't live in your county anymore have not for over four years, matter of fact I don't even live in WI. To be FLAT OUT HONEST, YOU ALL ALWAYS BLAME SOMEONE ELSE! And you want to blame me for airing Mr. Hogs dirty laundry. He dirtied that himself. POINT BLANK PERIOD! Unprotected sex or not it takes two! No matter the circumstance! And so sorry to wiggle if you actually managed to wiggle something out of your attorney that actually went and searched for a deadbeat dad (an attorney everyone claims had such a heavy case load) and you think people reading this believe you were at your Island home while your child is living off long lost child support. Sounds like a fanatsy! But I will give you credit I hope every dollar you spent to GET THAT if you did was well worth it! Give it up! If he WAS my friend I would mabey protect him too.
Apr 2, 2012 at 9:18 p.m.
Apr 2, 2012 at 8:56 p.m.
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Maybe you should have thought about who you have unprotected intercourse with before you had a child? I have a very hard time believing that these guys that are "deadbeats" were stand up guys before their kids were born. IMO you reap what you sew. I come from a single parent family where Dad wasnt around and dodged child support, and looking back at it my mother should not have been shocked.
All That being said I know Mr Hoag and he is a community volunteer and a perfect candidate for Rock county Judge and would get my vote anyday.
Totell- if you dont like it here in Janesville I will use the old republican tactic and tell you no one is forcing you to stay, so leave whenever it is best. I am sure that there is plenty of property open for you in Waukesha,Washington and Ozaukee counties you would be much happier there, there are more "people" like you.
Apr 2, 2012 at 8:30 p.m.
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Sorry honey I've been at my island home for 3 weeks and only checked in once in awhile. I got back this morn and had a wonderfull time thank you.
Of course my parents kept me, as well as my 7 brother and sisters, why wouldn't they?
My ex ran for many years and Mr Hoag found him and now my 24 year old daughter is getting what he owes her. She has a very nice house thanks to him.
No my daughter did not pick me or her father, he ran and I did what I had to. took 10 years and 3 lawyers, 2 of which did nothing, 1 did it all!
Apr 2, 2012 at 6:54 p.m.
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And I also guess your parents chose to keep you and thats societys fault, just as my parents kept me. And the dead beat bad and my daughter!
Apr 2, 2012 at 6:51 p.m.
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I say that because where were you the big money getter when all these arguments started? Its the night before the election and you just came forth?
Apr 2, 2012 at 6:49 p.m.
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wow how much are they paying you to say all that? Really cha ching!
Apr 2, 2012 at 6:40 p.m.
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and I might add, no your daughter did not choose him as her father, just like she didn't choose you as her mother. YOU choose to have a child with this man so I guess the blame is all YOURS!
Apr 2, 2012 at 6:37 p.m.
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Ms Straight - your wrong in so many ways, My ex owes me more than yours, and he has yet to see a day in jail. Mr Hoag found my ex and I am now getting a big check each month, and my ex spends his weekends in jail.
It's ONLY about who has the best lawyer, yours apparently sucked! So is that Mr Hoag's fault that he is a kick-butt attorney and yours knows nothing about how to get what they want?
I will say I will not be casting my vote for him ONLY because I want to keep him as my lawyer, he's the best I've found in 16 years! Too bad you didn't hire him before your ex did.
Apr 2, 2012 at 5:51 p.m.
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And by the way might I add my daughter did not choose for her father to be a dead beat dad. None of us get to choose our parents. It is the system, the attorneys who make the bucks that enable them to be one. Every other county that I know of does not let a dead beat walk the streets and owe that much money! Let alone be able to pay BIG bucks to an attorney and get away with it!
Apr 2, 2012 at 5:46 p.m.
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Madkkoop33 okay let me ask u this say I was the deadbeat parent that took u to court to see our child and the courts decided I needed to pay u child support. And I choose not to pay it, instead I get warrants issued for my arrest and I take and pay Mr. Hoag the fee to represent me to get me out of serving time in jail and I walk the streets and get every freedom u have. While Mr. Hoag swings backroom deals to get the whole case short and sweet to may a big paycheck off what I paid him. And you get nothing ither way. Now imagine this same situation years later when Mr. Hoag decideds to do charity work as a public defender and I owe you thousands and this time he keeps me from going to prison. And you still get nothing! As of today my daughters father owes me 101,710.53 and has yet to spend a day in prison. Now as said ask yourself how you would feel if he represented me being a dead beat parent and owing you that kinda dough? Sick isn't and then ask me not blame him really? I am not the only one who has dealt with the court system been doing it for 18 years straight! And still doing it and as we all know I am not the only one. Could you imagine what 101,710.53 could do for just one childs future? I can! And imagine yourself voting to put him on the bench as a judge! Not happening. As I said before I will SCREAM predjudice if this case ever ends up in front of him As a JUDGE! And I think we all know there are alot of people who will be doing the same thing, and what is that to the community a waste of tax payers time and money! And For those who have not been forced into the welfare system yet they will be which does what cost the tax payers. I know it sucks that I am airing dirty laundry about someone whom you think is so great. I have all my paperwork and documents to back up my story! Truth hurts and everyone knows it. And quit frankly I have shut up and put up for far to long to allow one of Mr. Hoags friends to tell me that I should be okay with putting him on the bench. So he can be the one on the golf course having drinks and making back room deals with other crooked attorneys. It will be to bad if he makes the bench it will show everyone exactly how sad the system is. I was once told the truth. The law is there to protect the criminals!
Apr 2, 2012 at 5:03 p.m.
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Community service, experience, and demeanor all point to Jack Hoag for our next judge.
Apr 2, 2012 at 9:56 a.m.
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Hoag for chief ambulance chaser!
Apr 2, 2012 at 9:05 a.m.
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Straightforward, instead of blaming Mr. Hoag for doing his job, maybe you should have spent more time with your daughter explaining to her what a deadbeat is/was. I fail to see where it is Mr. Hoag's problem/fault that your daughter chose a "deadbeat dad." We are always quick to blame others for our misfortunes instead of taking a long, hard look into the mirror to see what we could do to help ourselves. Good luck to you and your daughter, and may you never encounter a "deadbeat again."
Apr 2, 2012 at 7:06 a.m.
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MadKoop, very well said. Jack Hoag does what a great attorney does. Straightforward, given what you said about Jack Hoag's reputation, then I think you meant to say that he is the ONLY choice. I would be happy to compare his reputation with that of McCrory's.
Apr 2, 2012 at 4:59 a.m.
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Madkoop 33 I hope you can justify that to all the future children that end up on welfare or worse due to their dead beat parents being let off the hook! I hope you sincerely like supporting others.
Apr 2, 2012 at 2:09 a.m.
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Jack Hoag is a very good lawyer. Good lawyers make the best Judges. They know all the tricks that might be pulled by attorneys.
Apr 1, 2012 at 10:24 p.m.
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For those of you that have been bashing Mr. Hoag for helping his clients in cases against you, he was only doing his job. Mr. Hoag, from my perspective, has always done his job. He is reputable, honest, hardworking, experienced and very knowledgeable. His contributions to our community have also been a huge assest for many others. Mr. Hoag has always put people first. These are the qualities we need for a person to represent us as a Rock County Judge.
We do not need a judge who listens and accepts it when people lie in her courtroom. We do not need a judge who lets family members lie for each other in her courtroom. We do not need a judge who berates fathers for doing the right thing. We do not need a judge who does not listen to the children in her courtroom.
We need Jack Hoag!!!
Apr 1, 2012 at 10:22 p.m.
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Well given Mr. Hoags reputation with his community, hands down McCrory is the ONLY choice!
Apr 1, 2012 at 9:46 p.m.
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Jack Hoag for Court Commissioner.
Apr 1, 2012 at 4:24 p.m.
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Jack Hoag for judge!
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