Early Voting is June 13 – June 20
Respectfully presented Clayton “Tiger” Hulin
*Editors note: Three candidates are on the ballot in the upcoming Republican primary election for County Judge. Allegany County has two elected judges who oversee the most urgent matters in our county legal system. All three candidates, Allison Carrow, Dawn Wildrick Cole, and Gerald Driscoll responded to our questions below and will be presented in the order they were received.
What motivated you to seek this judicial position at this time?
My legal career has been spent working with and supporting judges in the New York Court System. For nearly twenty seven years, I’ve had the pleasure to serve justice from the perspective of the judiciary. It is a role that I have loved, and I have developed my skills to grow with the tasks assigned to me. While my career goals have always included a possible run for judicial office, I have waited until I felt I had gained enough experience in all areas of the law which our County Court judges face. I have worked in the Allegany County Courts since 2009 with wonderful people, and my experiences here have prepared me well. With Judge Parker retiring at the end of the year, it is a natural progression for me to run for his position. I bring a wealth of experience with my candidacy and a seamless transition if elected to the role.
What aspects of your legal experience do you believe best prepare you to serve as a judge?
My career in the court system has provided me with broad and deep experience. Broad, in that every type of file that has required adjudication here has gone to one of our two judges and their attorneys. Criminal, civil, family, estate, adoptions… we handle it all. My experience is deep because I have worked with multiple judges over the course of my career and have the benefit of having experienced different approaches. Moreover, I have prepared dockets, led settlement conference negotiations, and presided over hearings under the oversight of our judges. All of these tasks have helped me to gain skills necessary for the County Court bench.
Also, I myself am a sitting judge. I have served as the Town Justice of Almond since 2022 and have had exclusive responsibility for local misdemeanors, civil, traffic and conservation law matters. There is no substitute for having to make tough calls on your own.
Within the ethical limits governing judicial campaigns, how would you describe your approach to interpreting and applying the law?
I find that “quick” decisions are best made from thorough preparation. Stylistically, I prefer to provide a well-written and well reasoned decision.
I tend to be collaborative; I believe in the efficacy of settlement conferences and encourage resolution wherever I can. Parties who have agreed to a resolution are more likely to abide by it.
I am pragmatic; I seek a solution that works. If two parties have reached a valid agreement, I interpret the judicial role as a narrow one. If it isn’t broken, I don’t need to fix it: I do not question an agreement just to put my own fingerprints on it. I do, however, make sure litigants understand the settlement terms and have had enough time to talk to their attorney before consenting.
With respect to criminal matters, I take very seriously the defendant’s presumption of innocence and the need for strong sentencing upon conviction. The judge’s role in sentencing is a critical part of maintaining a safe society.
What principles would guide the way you intend to treat litigants, attorneys, court staff, and members of the public who appear in your courtroom?
I value the competence and professionalism of my coworkers. What the public does not often realize is that the court clerks, the court reporters, and the sheriff’s deputies are the most important people in a courtroom. Without these people, the justice system could not function. The court clerks ensure a complete docket, take notes, and generate orders. The court reporters transcribe every word as it is said, and provide written transcripts of trials and hearings where requested. The deputies provide security… not only for the judge but for the litigants, lawyers, court staff, and public as well, often in situations where tempers can quickly flare.
I value the good working relationships I have with the attorneys who practice in Allegany County and have been working with many of them for over fifteen years. I am cognizant of the practical realities of private practice, and that attorneys here are handling multiple courts and often multiple counties.
I value self possession and professionalism. I consider myself even tempered and approachable. I keep a clear head in the courtroom and seek to maintain the dignity of the participants, but I demand respect for the office, the court staff and the judicial process. If elected, I intend to keep Allegany County Courts a good place to practice and a fair place to be heard.
I value public safety, the roles of those who ensure it, and consequences for those who threaten it.
Public trust in the judiciary is essential. What steps do you believe judges can take to maintain confidence in the fairness, integrity and independence of the courts?
Judicial ethics classes emphasize what I call the three “I’s” of the judiciary: impartiality, integrity and independence. I think that the most critical things for judges to do are to keep in the forefront of their minds these three I’s and ensure that behavior and decisions do not depart from them. This is simple advice, but it takes confidence and courage to follow it: issue tough decisions, maintain impeccable ethics, and recuse where warranted.
