League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Education Fund
Hamilton County, OH November 2, 2010 Election
	Stephen L. "Steve" Black Answers Questions Candidate for Judge; Court of Common Pleas; Domestic Relations Division; 6 Year Term Starting 1/5/11

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What are your qualifications for office? (50 Word limit)

I have had 35 years of experience as a trial lawyer in the courts of Hamilton County, Ohio, and many other courts. I have also served four years as Mayor of Indian Hill, presiding over Mayor's Court regularly.

2. What plans do you have to address your top three priorities? (100 word limit)

I would like to expand the use of law students to represent persons who need a divorce and cannot afford the legal fees needed to get one. We need to train student lawyers to represent the poor much the same way that medical students train in our hospitals under the supervision of doctors. If we expand the use of law students, our courts will be able to handle a much greater volume of cases. In the long run, this will help to reduce domestic violence.

3. What is your vision for the future of our judicial system? (150 word limit)

I would like to see a system that dispenses justice fairly, without regard to the financial status of the parties. One of the problems our present system has is that it favors the wealthy. We need to serve all segments of our community without this bias. Equal access to the courts is fundamental to our government of laws, not of men.

4. The Courts have competing priorities with limited tax dollars -- keeping communities safe, multi-cultural judicial equality, and rehabilitation. What ideas or programs do you support that address a balanced Court System? (150 word limit)

I support the idea that the court system should be accessible to all and that certain priorities should be maintained. Public safety and personal security are high priority goals. We need strong programs to assist both the victims of crime and the witnesses to crime so that perpetrators can be brought to justice. And we need to deal with convicted offenders in a way that will restore them to productive citizenship quickly and efficiently.

5. What programs do you support that maintain the independence of the Judiciary? (150 word limit)

The judiciary in our state will be most independent when judges do not have to rely on private fundraising for campaign funds. I support public financing of all judicial races. Only if we limit judicial campaign finance to public sources will we have a reasonable expectation that our judges will not be influenced by the interests of those who contribute to their campaigns.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. Word limits apply. Direct references to opponents are not permitted.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 14, 2010 18:56
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