Star Journal

Top Menu

  • Contact Us
  • Hodag Star Journal E-Edition
  • Subscribe

Main Menu

  • Local
    • News
    • Business
    • Schools
    • Law & Order
    • Arts & Ent
    • Wedding Planner
    • Viewpoint
    • Sports
      • Sports News
      • High School Sports Scores
  • Covid 19
  • Outdoors
  • Wellness
  • Classifieds
  • Obits
  • Lake View
  • Northwoods NOW
  • Living On The Lake
  • Contact Us
  • Hodag Star Journal E-Edition
  • Subscribe

logo

Star Journal

  • Local
    • News
    • Business
    • Schools
    • Law & Order
    • Arts & Ent
    • Wedding Planner
    • Viewpoint
    • Sports
      • Sports News
      • High School Sports Scores
  • Covid 19
  • Outdoors
  • Wellness
  • Classifieds
  • Obits
  • Lake View
  • Northwoods NOW
  • Living On The Lake
Uncategorized
Home›Uncategorized›Response to judicial endorsement by John Danner

Response to judicial endorsement by John Danner

By StarJournal
April 1, 2012
353
0
Share:

Editor:

I read with interest a recent letter in the Star Journal headlined “With Bloom, its quantity and quality” (Viewpoint, March 25). The authors make significant statements regarding the quality of both candidates for the Oneida County Judgeship, John O’Melia who is in private practice and Michael Bloom, our current district attorney. It is important to note that one of the authors of the letter is District Attorney Michael Bloom’s former supervisor at the Wisconsin Public Defender’s office, Anne Munninghoff.

I take issue with some of the factual representations put forth. The letter suggests that in 2011 there were 7,026 court cases filed in Oneida County, of which “only 578 were civil in nature” which implies that Mr. Bloom had responsibility for 6,448 cases filed last year. According to data from the Oneida County Clerk of Court’s office, there were actually 8,274 court cases filed, but only 1,080 were actually criminal cases, that is, cases in which a misdemeanor, felony or criminal traffic offenses were alleged. There were 347 family law or paternity cases filed, 1,158 civil forfeiture cases, 1,309 small claims cases, and 3,802 traffic cases, most of which are considered civil forfeiture in nature and not handled by the district attorney.

Traffic cases are prosecuted by the jurisdiction in which the citation is issued, that is, by the City of Rhinelander, or one of the towns in the county which handles its own traffic cases. Only those citations issued by the Oneida County Sheriff’s Department deputies, or the Wisconsin State Patrol troopers working in Oneida County, are handled by the District Attorney’s office, and only a very small number of any of those cases ever move beyond initial intake where “no contest” pleas are often entered. The letter, while implying that it is Mr. Bloom who handles these cases, ignores that he has two assistants who carry significant case loads themselves.

It is implied in the letter that because our former (and current) Judges Kinney, Mangerson and Patrick O’Melia were district attorneys, they were better judges. They were and are excellent judges because of their personalities, their ability to ferret out truth from innuendo, their compassion for the circumstances of a case and the parties, their abilities to separate themselves from an attitude of “if charges are filed there must be guilt” to “examine the facts and reach an independent and unbiased conclusion” and their understanding of the law.

This election is not about one candidate being good and the other not. It’s about selecting the person who will best serve the interests of Oneida County justice as a whole. I urge you to consider these factors on April 3.

John Danner, Rhinelander

Previous Article

Middle school offering summer learning opportunities

Next Article

Adjusting to a Healthier Lifestyle Week 6

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Related articles More from author

  • Uncategorized

    Obituary: Robert “Bob” Onson

    July 10, 2013
    By StarJournal
  • Uncategorized

    Outdoor Report: Bass season begins

    June 16, 2012
    By StarJournal
  • Uncategorized

    Minocqua Counseling Center welcomes psychotherapist

    March 17, 2012
    By StarJournal
  • Uncategorized

    Warm for Winter at Friendly Village

    January 11, 2013
    By StarJournal
  • Latest NewsUncategorizedWellness

    Meth Talk

    March 27, 2015
    By StarJournal
  • Uncategorized

    Sports Round-Up, Aug. 12

    August 11, 2012
    By StarJournal

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

About Us


Star Journal is published by Multi Media Channels LLC, N2919 County Road QQ Waupaca, WI 54981.

Timeline

  • January 15, 2021

    Chamber credits programs for increased local spending

  • January 14, 2021

    Sign up available for DHS newsletters on COVID, vaccine

  • January 14, 2021

    Hodags dominate in the Lakeland pool

  • January 14, 2021

    Hodag girls win two this week

  • January 14, 2021

    Girls Hockey: Northern Edge hosts Northland Pines

Find us on Facebook

  • Contact Us
  • Hodag Star Journal E-Edition
  • Subscribe
Copyright © 2020 Multi Media Channels LLC.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted without the prior written consent of Multi Media Channels LLC.
×