Q&A with Clark County judge candidates

The Clark County court system will be adding a second judge to reside over its second circuit court during the April 4 election. The candidates, William Bratcher and Jake Brunette are both residents of Clark County and have practiced in the county. The Tribune-Phonograph and Tribune Record Gleaner editorial staffs put together a questionnaire for candidates to help Clark County voters decide who to vote for this spring.

Q: Why are you running for second circuit court judge?

William Bratcher: Being Clark County’s next Judge would be the best way for me to use my gifts to serve the community. I have the intelligence, knowledge, experience, empathy, and mental toughness to do the job well. I want to make a difference in people’s lives, especially for children and families.

[caption id="attachment_171474" align="alignleft" width="75"] Will Bratcher[/caption]

Jake Brunette: I want to continue my public service to Clark County and give back to our communities that made me who I am. I have the temperament, experience, and commitment to be a great judge including shared values of family, respect, and hard work.

Q: What education has prepared you to be a successful judge?

WB: I have a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies with a second major in Psychology from UW-Madison, and a JD (law degree) cum laude (with honors) from the University of Wisconsin Law School. I am also a trained mediator.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="75"] Jake Brunette[/caption]

JB: I am a graduate of Neillsville High School, Knox College with Bachelor’s Degrees in Biology and Biochemistry and William Mitchell College of Law with a Juris Doctorate.

Q: What legal experience do you bring to this position?

WB: I have over 12 years of legal experience, serving thousands of clients out of my office in Thorp. I have direct, hands-on experience covering a wide variety of legal fields - both in and out of the courtroom - such as: business law, civil litigation, appeals, landlord/tenant, employment law, estate planning, contracts, family law (adoption, divorce, child custody), guardianships, estate and Medicaid (nursing home) planning, real estate (transactions, disputes, etc.), trusts, and more. The bulk of my day-today work involves direct conversations with regular folks, who are looking for guidance during some of the most challenging phases of life.

JB: I worked in regulatory affairs in the biotech industry before and during law school and later became a consultant to biotech companies. I started a private law practice focusing on real estate, estate planning, contracts, and business law. I have vast in-court experience prosecuting child and adult protection, mental health, family law, county ordinance enforcement, and general civil litigation balanced with advising the county on complex municipal laws.

Q: What other, non-legal experience do you bring to this position?

WB: I have worked a wide variety of jobs in my life, including in the diverse cities of Milwaukee and Madison, so I have a deep appreciation for people of all backgrounds, abilities, and occupations.

Not only do I help my clients form and run their businesses, I am also a small business owner myself. I know what it’s like to have to balance a budget and run payroll. I’ve had to do hiring and firing, collect unpaid bills, and all those other things that come with the territory.

I’ve had family and friends who have been through tough legal situations or have been the victims of crime. So, when those types of cases come before me as judge, it won’t simply be a legal theory to me. I truly have empathy for what people are going through in the courtroom.

JB: Growing up, I worked at my parents’ small businesses doing catering and wood flooring. After college graduation, I worked as a scientist and engineer in the biotech industry for seven years while attending law school at night.

Q: What personal qualities do you possess that qualify you to serve as judge?

WB: I am grateful for the values my parents instilled in me and the talents I’ve been blessed with. One of the most important qualities people see in me is the ability to listen. Through active listening, I can better understand the depths of people’s concerns and can see things from multiple angles. Also, my mental stamina is unmatched. Making hard decisions and taking strong action are things I have never shied away from. Finally, my straightforward, down-toearth manner will help everyone in my courtroom feel respected and heard even if they disagree with my final ruling.

JB: I value honesty, respect, and integrity and that is what I give to people. My patience, compassion, and an open mind have made me a successful attorney and dedicated public servant. As attorneys or judges, we have to continue to learn and study the law which comes with humbling moments of not always getting it right. The important thing is to not let your ego get in the way of learning and simply do better next time.

Q: Describe your community involvement (clubs, organizations, volunteering, etc.).

WB: As a proud Thorp Lion’s Club member for over 10 years, I helped spearhead an eye screening program for school-aged children. I have personally performed hundreds, if not thousands of these screenings, resulting in many children getting glasses for the first time.

I enjoyed teaching middle school Junior Achievement classes for several years, showing youth how to better seek out careers based on their skills and interests, and doing exercises designed to teach them about real-world budgeting.

My family and I happily served for years at the Greenwood Area Food Pantry, helping combat food insecurity in our community, and staying open during the Covid-19 shutdown, which was extremely important. I currently serve as a member of the Loyal Music Boosters.

Over the years, I have contributed to various local organizations like Thorp and Loyal youth sports teams, Loyal Science Olympiad, Shirley’s House of Hope, Clark County Humane Association, Rock Creek Disabled Outdoors, Angel Tree, and Clark County “Shop with a Cop.”

JB: I was a member of the Optimist club, Neillsville School Board, the Clark County Revolving Business Fund Loan Committee, and the Clark County Bar Association, including serving as president. I have donated my time and resources to many organizations such as the food pantry, Shop with a Cop program, and the Clark County Humane Society. I serve on the church council for St. John’s Church of Christie.

Q: Is there any personal biographical information you’d like to share?

WB: I value my down time at home with my wife and our family (two wonderfully curious teenagers, a beloved border- collie, a couple of spoiled cats, and the occasional flock of chickens). I like to cook, play card games, watch sports, attend concerts and enjoy the outdoors.

JB: I was born and raised in Clark County where my family has been for four generations. I am a proud husband and father to five children and dog Hazel. I enjoy golfing, music and spending time with my family and friends.

Q: How would you ensure impartiality as a judge? WB: Before a judge comes into court, they put on their

long, black robes. That simple act gives a judge a moment of pause to mentally prepare for the cases they are about to hear, and serves as a physical symbol and reminder that a judge needs to cover their own personal beliefs about what the law should or shouldn’t be, and that they need to rule based on the law and the facts of the case.

As Clark County’s next judge, I will think about that every time I put those robes on. When in the courtroom, I will judge people based on their actions rather than their political beliefs, treat everyone with the same respect and dignity regardless of their background, and I will not legislate from the bench.

In the case of a real or reasonably perceived conflict of interest in a specific case, I will recuse myself.

JB: I would continue to do what I have been doing everyday as an attorney serving the public by making decisions based on facts and applicable laws alone, not on emotions, personal views, or outside pressures or politics. My respect and experience of the law keep me objective so people get their fair day in court. The overwhelming support and endorsements of the legal community are a testament that I exercise discretion wisely and impartially.

Q: What, if any effect does potentially having a spouse as the other Clark County judge have on the integrity of cases within the court system?

WB: Integrity is the key word here. What I have heard in the past 10 months of campaigning is that the issue of doing the right thing – the common sense thing - in our judicial system, is of utmost importance to the citizens of Clark County.

Here are three specific ways it doesn’t make sense: 1) It interferes with the right to substitute judges. How would you feel if you wanted to ask for a substitution of judge, but your case could be reassigned to their spouse? That doesn’t make common sense.

2) Overlapping conflicts. If one of the spouses has a conflict, the other likely does, too (for example, a case involving one of their extended family members). In those cases, there must be another judge brought in, costing us taxpayers more money. That doesn’t make “cents” financially.

3) Availability for law enforcement. If we had husband/wife judges, our already stretched thin law enforcement would be negatively impacted. Say both judges are out of town and law enforcement needs a warrant, an officer may have to drive to a different county in search of a different judge. Nobody wants their community to lose coverage while an officer takes extra time to get a warrant – that’s not safe and it doesn’t make practical sense.

Overall, there’s the problem of the perception it gives the public too. Ultimately, in order for our system of justice to work, people need faith that it is being carried out with integrity, impartiality, and fundamentally fairly. We simply cannot allow one family to hold all of the power in our judicial branch. That isn’t how the founders intended our system to work and doesn’t inspire greater faith in the integrity of our courts.

JB: I understand the interest in the topic and am candid about the concerns. I was urged to run by many colleagues after my opponent announced. After researching the prospect of spouses on the bench together, it became less of a legitimate concern ethically, fiscally, or logistically.

The biggest impact of having myself and Lyndsey as judges is that it increases the amount of care, dedication, and stability of the court based on our individual experience and knowledge. We are hard workers who care about the community that we were raised in, that has provided us many opportunities, that we raise our children in, and that we pour our heart and souls into every day. But we are separate individuals that have made our way professionally on our own merits and our own track records of honesty, exercising our discretion soundly, and protecting our communities.

We’ve held positions of high public trust within the county at the same time. At times, these positions intersected and were at odds which required us to make independent decisions that could and did impact the other’s position. We did so without issue nor any concern of bias, partiality, or breach of duty. My commitment to Clark County and its people is what drives me to serve and I have taken that seriously in making choices to preserve and advance our communities. This is more than a “step up the ladder” for me.

The focus on spouses has unfortunately detracted from the true issues. It misleads and confuses voters as to what the

proper role of judges is and what is important in this race: qualifications. My campaign is not based on fear mongering or what-ifs but rather on facts.

Voters need information as to who is the most qualified and committed candidate to be the next Clark County judge. I have the experience to take on the complex and impactful issues that are part of a large number of court cases: mental health, poverty, and drug abuse. I work diligently on cases involving abused and neglected children, drug addicted parents, runaway children, and the severely mentally ill while working with dedicated social workers and law enforcement, medical professionals, service providers, attorneys, and the court.

My entire campaign has been focused on meeting with our community, answering the tough questions, and being up front and honest about the issues and how important of a job this is. I have the right temperament, the same local values, and a commitment to be a great judge for Clark County.

Both Bratcher and Brunette have websites with more information about their campaigns. You can visit Bratcher’s site at www.BratcherForJudge.com and Brunette’s site at www.JakeBrunette4Judge.com.