Judge candidate profile: David Glancy

David Glancy

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief. 

David Glancy, 36, lives in Amber Township. He and his wife, Kathryn, are partners in their law practice, Glancy Law Office in Ludington. He is a 1996 graduate of Fremont High School and received his bachelor’s degree from Hope College in Holland, with a major in political science and a minor in biochemistry. He received his law degree from Michigan State College of Law. He has been practicing law for the past 10 years, all that time based in Ludington.  

David and Kathryn have two children: Finnegan, 3 and Iris, 1. He also serves as the Ludington High School girls varsity swim coach. 

MCP: What do you believe to be the root causes for the high numbers of repeat offenders? 

DG: I think a majority of repeat offenders are associated with an underlying cause of alcohol or substance abuse. Those are things that need to be treated. The treatment programs are already offered but it’s upon the individual to take advantage of those programs.

MCP: Do you believe the composition of juries adequately and fairly reflects society at large? Why or why not? If not, what can we do to change this? 

DG: The defendant is provided with a jury of their peers based on the county which they committed the crime in. I think overall, Mason and Lake county juries do a very good job listening to the facts and deliberating and making a decision of the law.

MCP: Do you have a plan regarding improving court procedures and efficiency? 

DG: I think moving forward over the next six years, Mason County courts are going to go through quite a few changes. The district court is going to be eliminated (a ruling by the Michigan legislature) when Judge (Pete) Wadel’s term is up. There will be a shift in how the cases are being handled. I would work with the other judges well in moving forward with no delays in the judicial process, making sure that everybody has the right to a speedy trail in criminal cases and no delay in justice.

In criminal cases, Judge (Jeff) Nellis would be handing district court cases or the preliminary examinations. I also believe that a good idea would be to hire an attorney magistrate who would handle much of the matters handled by district court such as arraignments, small claims, landlord-tenant matters.

MCP: Do you believe there is such a thing as a “victimless crime?” If so, what offenses would you place in this category?

DG: No, there is always a victim in any criminal case. You will have people argue that nobody is hurt in crimes like thefts or drunk driving, but there is an economic impact and there is the potential that the crime could have been more serious.

MCP: As a prospective judge, what do you consider your greatest strengths? 

DG: I believe based on my experience as a criminal defense attorney and also as a general civil practice attorney — working with divorce, family law, neglect and abuse — along with my personal experiences, that I will bring all that to the bench. Based on those experiences I would be able to be a fair and impartial judge and uphold the independence and impartialness of the court.

MCP: Describe your most difficult case. 

DG: Just over the past year I have had quite a few difficult cases. The case involving Michigan State Police Trooper Paul Butterfield, I was Eric Knysz’s court appointed defense attorney. That one was extremely difficult, just being an unfortunate situation with everyone involved. As the court appointed attorney I think people don’t understand that I don’t have a choice who I represent. Throughout this campaign I have often had people question me, why I would represent such a person. He, like everyone, had a right to an attorney. My job is not to agree or support the defendant’s decisions or actions but to make sure his rights aren’t violated and that he receives a fair trial. A person is presumed innocent until a jury finds him guilty.

MCP: What is your general judicial philosophy?  

DG: I think as a circuit court judge your job is to apply the law to each case based on the facts that come in front of you. I don’t think it is the judge’s job to create the law or to change the law. That is the job of the legislature or the supreme court. I am pro-law. I will not be pro-prosecutor or pro-defense. In civil cases the judge has to look at all the facts presented by both sides and make a decision based on the law.

MCP: Why should voters support you rather than your opponents? 

DG: It’s a great honor and responsibility to be the circuit court judge and I think I am the best candidate to make sure that all decisions coming from the court are impartial and based on the facts and the law and not on personal positions, public opinions or politics. It’s also the next logical step in my practice of law to serve the people as the circuit court judge. It is something I take very seriously.