Judge Dale Cohen, left, and Judge Ian Richards, right. Courtesy photos. Judge Dale Cohen, left, and Judge Ian Richards, right. Courtesy photos.

Incumbent Judge Dale C. Cohen and attorney and former judge Ian Richards are both campaigning for a seat on the Broward Circuit bench in the August primary elections. Here's why the Group 30 candidates say they should prevail. Responses have been edited for style and content.

Related: 2020 South Florida Elections: Use this Voter Guide to Learn More About Candidates Running for Judge

Judge Dale C. Cohen

Cohen has served on bench since 2006 and issued a pivotal same-sex marriage ruling in 2014. He's also a former prosecutor and criminal defense attorney.

Why are you running for this position?

I have been a circuit court judge for the past 14 years. I love it and plan to continue for at least another six years.

What about your experience qualifies you for the position?

Prior to my appointment, I was a board-certified criminal lawyer, AV-rated, a Florida SuperLawyer per SuperLawyer Magazine and tried over 200 jury trials as lead counsel.

What's your biggest achievement so far?

In 2005, I struck down the provision of the Florida Constitution which prohibited the state from recognizing gay marriage. This was a violation of the Equal Protection Clause and the Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Shortly after my ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court in a near-unanimous decision ruled consistent with my opinion.

What would a successful term look like for you?

I am a family court judge. I go to work everyday with the intent of protecting children to the best of my ability. Unfortunately, there are parents who pose a danger to their own children, either because of drug issues, uncontrollable violence, medical neglect and several other issues we deal with on a daily basis. I have been fortunate that, in my 12 years as a family judge, I have been able to keep children safe. If I can successfully continue to achieve what I have already accomplished, that would be a successful term for me.

What is the most important issue facing your county at the moment?

Certainly, that would be the COVID-19 crisis. We understand that the courts cannot close just because there is a pandemic ongoing. We further understand that we cannot put lives at risk by requiring the public to enter the courthouse and have court to continue as usual. In Broward, we have been conducting trials and hearings by Zoom to the extent possible. I can speak personally about using Zoom in the family division, and it has been a great success. We are able to conduct full hearings and trials with minimal inconvenience.

Ian Richards

Richards focuses on family law and complex civil litigation, and is a partner at Adrien & Richards. He's also a former county court judge.

Why are you running for this position?

To better serve my community.

What about your experience qualifies you for the position?

From my service as an assistant state attorney, to private practice and, later, as a judge, I have over 18 years of experience in criminal and civil court. I was in the top 3% of judges in Broward County for the number of jury trials four years in a row. I streamlined the misdemeanor domestic violence unit by lowering the active caseload countywide from 1,100 to under 500 cases and reducing the wait time for trial by almost half. I presided over thousands of cases and hundreds of jury trials, and more than 99% of my decisions were upheld — a testament to my legal knowledge and skill. I currently handle family law and complex civil litigation while consulting with small businesses.

What's your biggest achievement so far?

Leading by example, my court staff set all defendants for a hearing in the division within 33 days after all arrests. At some point, all Broward court cases began a similar procedure. This procedure avoided defendants being forgotten in the system. We also streamlined the misdemeanor domestic violence unit by lowering the active caseload countywide from 1,100 to under 500 cases and reducing the wait time for trial by almost half.

What would a successful term look like for you?

A successful term for me is when most nonlawyer participants walk away from the court believing they were treated fairly and understanding, if not agreeing, with what the court decided.

What is the most important issue facing your county at the moment?

The most important issue facing our county is the failure to properly prepare young children with developmental disabilities involved in primary school education to properly assimilate into society. Moreover, we need to better integrate mental health training with law enforcement and avoid turning mental health issues into law enforcement issues. It is further regrettable that defendants at the misdemeanor level get little funding or access to resources until they commit felonies.

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