Lake County interim judge selected Twelve file for election after Wall resigns in wake of lawsuits

A Charlo attorney has been appointed the interim replacement for former Lake County Justice of the Peace Chuck Wall.

Ann-Marie McNeel was selected by Lake County commissioners Thursday from among a dozen potential candidates. She will serve in the position until a permanent replacement is elected in November and takes office on Jan. 1, 2013.

A total of 12 candidates met the filing deadline Wednesday to run in the November election. They are Alan Booth, Ron Boyce, Dennis Devries, Joey Jayne, Edwin Jonas III, Steven Kendley, Daryl Kerr, Kathleen Mullins, James Raymond, Sharon Richardson, Rick Schoening and David Weinandy.

The only requirements for the position are that the candidates lived in the county for at least a year and must attend judge’s school after being elected. Salary for the position is $46,675.

McNeel will begin her judicial duties on Sept. 4. In the meantime, the position has been voluntarily filled by former Montana Supreme Court Justice Diane Barz as a favor to the county.

Lake County Commissioner Paddy Trusler said the search for a replacement began shortly after Wall resigned Aug. 8 in the wake of settling sexual harassment lawsuits filed against him by two court staff members.

“Once the resignation was understood, we suggested that people put out a letter of interest if they wanted to be considered, and there was a large number that showed interest,” Trusler said. “Then we put the caveat on there that they would not be considered if they chose to run for the elected position.”

That caveat eliminated eight candidates, seven of whom filed to run in the election.

Trusler disagreed, however, with the timing of the election and the interim justice’s term.

“I think the interim judge should have been appointed to complete the unfulfilled term of the justice of the peace,” he said. “That would have really allowed us to more efficiently deal with reorganization. It was just kind of an abstract way to go about it as far as I was concerned.”

Wall’s term would have lasted through the end of 2014.

There also remains the issue of what will happen with the numerous cases Wall presided over that he had yet to make rulings on.

“Any of those existing cases that had been heard but not been passed are still sitting there and we’re trying to figure out if there’s any way we can move those forward. We have not been successful,” Trusler said. “I can’t give you a number, but I’m told that there are many.”

He said it may not be possible to resolve the cases.