MARION - Two young men - one from Herrin and one from Marion - seek the open seat of retired judge, Phillip Palmer, Sr., in the Williamson County Resident Circuit Judge race.
Phillip Palmer, Jr., the 28-year-old son of the retired judge, grew up in Herrin. He graduated high school there and graduated SIU School of Law in 2015.
For the last few years, he has practiced as an attorney and law clerk at the Brandon & Schmidt law firm in Carbondale. Palmer handles mostly civil litigation and trial work.
"As an attorney who practices throughout all of Southern Illinois, especially Williamson County, I understand the importance of having independent and fair judges hearing our community's issues," Palmer said. "The most important qualities a judge can possess are integrity and impartiality.
"I learned the importance of these qualities from observing my uncle, Curtis Palmer, who served Williamson County as county commissioner for many years, and my father, Phillip Palmer Sr., who served as Williamson County Judge for the past 24 years."
Palmer said courts are suppose to be for the people, to help resolve issues and protect citizens.
"That is why we need honest, fair, hardworking judges who are going to keep the focus on the people of the county, and who are not going to play favorites or let politics, money, or power influence their decisions," he said. "It is imperative that we elect judges who will decide cases on the facts and the law alone and who will ensure a fair playing field for everyone that comes before them."
Palmer said no one truly deserves the honor of being a judge.
"It is a great responsibility that is entrusted to very few by their community," he said. "I am attempting to earn the trust of this community by running a positive campaign that demonstrates the characteristics required of good judges. I can promise that if the Williamson County citizens elect me as Resident Circuit Judge, that I will be an independent, honest, hardworking judge who will treat all those before me with dignity and respect."
Lawler, 34, attended Marion High School and then Southern Illinois University School of Law, where he graduated in 2010. He presently practices law with the Lawler Brown law firm in Marion.
While at the firm, Lawler has gained trial experience in both criminal and civil cases, having practiced in probate, personal injury, criminal defense, worker's compensation, and real estate law in more than 20 counties throughout Illinois.
"I have handled all aspects of our criminal and civil practice, including conducting legal research, drafting pleadings and memorandums of law, arguing motions before the court, and presenting our clients' cases to the jury," Lawler said. "I have also had the opportunity to argue matters before the Fifth District Court of Appeals and before the Illinois Prisoner Review Board."
While in law school, he was as a law clerk for the Womick Law Firm, working on complex personal injury and medical malpractice cases by assisting in depositions and preparing for jury trials. From 2008-2010, he clerked for Williamson County State's Attorney Charles Garnati, and later worked there as an assistant state's attorney.
"Temperament, integrity and impartiality are the most important qualities of a great judge," Lawler said. "Attorneys and judges from both parties through the Illinois State Bar (ISBA) Association Judicial Advisory Poll rated me the highest in these categories.
"As the only candidate in my Democratic Primary who is "Recommended" by my peers through the poll, with lead jury trial experience as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney and with leadership experience as a co-founder of Lawler Brown Law Firm, I feel I am the best qualified candidate to serve Williamson County as Resident Circuit Judge."
If elected, Lawler said he plans to focus on improving access to Drug Court, Veterans Court, and Mental Health Court.
"I promise to decide all cases fairly," he said.
