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Endorsement: Paul Starita for San Diego County Superior judge, Office 30

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Four candidates — Michael Murphy, Peter Murray, Tim Nader and Paul Starita — are running for Office 30 of the San Diego County Superior Court. The judgeship is open due to a pending retirement. All four candidates have considerable experience as state or federal prosecutors and seem qualified for the job. But Murphy and Starita gave the most engaged and thoughtful responses to a question about criminal justice reform in a questionnaire from The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board.

Murphy wrote that while public safety was the top priority of the criminal justice system, a significant number of criminals can go on to become “productive, law-abiding citizens” after getting “help dealing with addiction, mental illness and other hardships.” This view strikes a smart balance.

Starita identified a key problem with recent reforms reducing those behind bars: The state’s failure to ensure probation offices are “properly staffed and funded to: 1) provide the appropriate input to courts on each offender; and 2) properly supervise those subject to early release.”

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The difference for us was their disagreement on a proposal to revise the state’s judicial Code of Ethics to let judges publicly oppose judicial candidates. Murphy wrote that judges are “uniquely positioned” to know who would be a good judge. Starita thinks that “calls into question [judges’] impartiality” and makes them more “political” figures. We agree.

We endorse Starita for Superior Court Office 30.

See all of our endorsements.

Read our interviews with the candidates below.

The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board submitted questions to candidates for San Diego County Superior Court. Michael Murphy is seeking to fill Office 30, with is open due to a judge’s upcoming retirement. Here are his responses to the U-T Editorial Board’s questions

Jan. 3, 2020

The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board submitted questions to candidates for San Diego County Superior Court. Peter Murray is seeking to fill Office 30, with is open due to a judge’s upcoming retirement. Here are his responses to the U-T Editorial Board’s questions.

Jan. 3, 2020

The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board submitted questions to candidates for San Diego County Superior Court. Tim Nader is seeking to fill Office 30, with is open due to a judge’s upcoming retirement. Here are his responses to the U-T Editorial Board’s questions.

Jan. 3, 2020

The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board submitted questions to candidates for San Diego County Superior Court. Paul Starita is seeking to fill Office 30, with is open due to a judge’s upcoming retirement. Here are his responses to the U-T Editorial Board’s questions

Jan. 3, 2020

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