Todd County Standard - Kentucky Press Association

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JUDICIAL SYSTEM BY ELIZABETH JOHNSON TODD COUNTY STANDARD Fixing problems that have been building a lifetime — that’s what District Judge Sue Carol Browning says is the most difficult part of her job. In her 16 years as district judge for Logan and Todd counties, Browning has sat in on many hearings and made many decisions. Hearing most criminal cases, with few exceptions, Browning also handles civil, juvenile, probate and small claims court. Cases range from abuse and neglect cases, child support, and paternity cases to domestic violence and mental health cases. “I’m not sure everyone realizes that I am on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” said Browning. “I set bonds for people who have been arrested and deal with emergency matters such as domestic violence, mental health warrants and emergency custody orders for children who are neglected or abused. These things come up every single day of the year. Often things will come up in the middle of the night.” While constantly working can be exhausting, Browning said that does not compare to the biggest challenge of her job — juvenile court. “Often we’re dealing with young adults and we’re dealing with someone who has no work ethic, no sense of responsibility for their own actions, no sense of morality SEE NEXT PAGE Fowler Brothers Auto Salvage Hours of Business: Monday to Friday 8 AM - 5 PM Saturday 8 AM - 12 PM • We specialize in the sales and installation of transmissions and motors. • New and used parts ( all makes and models ) • Purchasing junked or wrecked cars, trucks, and 4x4's • We provide towing services. 1616 W Jeff Davis Highway Elkton, KY 42220-8703 270-632-4044 KINNEY’S SERVICE CENTER Family operated since July 1965 506 West Main Elkton, KY 42220 Serving others as we would like to be served HALEY HARDWARE & RENTAL 206 East Main Street P.O. Box 506 Elkton, KY 42220 Dean & Jeanie Haley Phone 270-265-5619 Fax 270-265-5466 hdoitbest@bellsouth.net haley.doitbest.com Do It Best Todd County Salvage 2130 W Jeff Davis Highway Elkton, KY 42220-8707 (270) 265-5972 Todd County Standard DISCOVER TODD COUNTY 47
Continued from Page 47 instilled in them and these are things that it takes a lifetime to do,” said Browning. “The ones that are challenging are the people in some cases just simply weren’t raised. I’m supposed to change behavior in the brief period of time that I have them in court and that’s very very difficult when it’s something that should be done over a lifetime.” Other cases are much easier, she said. “A lot of the people I deal with are very good people who have just made a mistake and those cases are easy,” said Browning. “Everybody makes mistakes.” Browning said many times she relies on God when presiding over difficult cases. “For me to do the job it takes a lot of prayer,” said Browning. “I’m often dealing with situations in which there is no good answer, there is no good solution so I try to pray and ask that God will give me the best solution.” Working around the clock, Browning spends Monday afternoons and Tuesdays in Todd County and Monday mornings, Wednesday and Thursdays in Logan County. Browning said she typically visits both counties on Fridays. Tyler Gill started in Browning’s position in 1993 before being elected circuit judge in 1995, a position he’s filled since then and considers the best job in Kentucky. Unlike the district judge position which is re-elected every four years, Kentucky circuit judges serve eight-year terms. Circuit court is just a rung higher on the ladder of the judicial system, with the judge hearing cases of higher matters. “Circuit judges handle conflicts involving more permanent changes in families, larger sums of money, more critical property issues and more serious crimes than do district courts,” said Gill. “Circuit courts also rule upon appeals from district courts.” These cases include adoptions, actions to terminate parental rights, custody disputes, divorces, felony criminal cases and civil disputes over property or money involving more than $5,000 among others. Because the Kentucky legislature does not fund a family court judge for the Logan and Todd county circuit, Gill hears those cases. He said making decisions in disputes involving families is the hardest part of the job. “Decisions … involving children are among the most challenging and stressful decisions judges make,” said Gill. “They differ from other cases since they usually involve many disputed facts and few hard and fast rules to guide judges. Broad general principles such as “the best interest of the child” are often the only legal guidance for these decisions. Yet the consequences of these decisions are generally greater than any other category of case because it can affect generations.” Gill also serves on Project Development boards that oversee construction of new judicial buildings in Logan and Todd counties. Per request of the chief justice, Gill oversees a program commonly referred to as drug court. “The title is misleading because this program is not a court of law but is simply an intense drug treatment program undertaken as a collaborative effort between the three branches of government,” said Gill. “It is designed to better address the drug addiction problem that is at the root of many felony crimes and family problems.” Being a judge for 18 years, Gill said there are still public misconceptions of a judge’s responsibility, especially the SEE NEXT PAGE & South Main Branch • Elkton, KY 270-265-9841 Main Office • Elkton, KY 270-265-9841 Since 1866 Guthrie Branch • Guthrie, KY 270-483-2531 EQUAL HOUSING LENDER • Local People • Local Decisions • Local Commitment • Local Investment Highway 79 Branch • Guthrie, KY 270-483-2818 48 DISCOVER TODD COUNTY Todd County Standard
Page 1 and 2: DISCOVER TODD COUNTY A SPECIAL PUBL
Page 3 and 4: Discover Todd County and the opport
Page 5 and 6: FACTS AND FIGURES Todd County popul
Page 7 and 8: A fact book around for when you nee
Page 9 and 10: TODD COUNTY: A COMMUNITY AT THE CRO
Page 11 and 12: Continued from Page 8 Trenton, pop.
Page 13 and 14: BY ELIZABETH JOHNSON TODD COUNTY ST
Page 15 and 16: GUTHRIE RICH PAST; LOOKING TOWARD F
Page 17 and 18: TRENTON SOON TO BE A BUSTLING ARTS
Page 19 and 20: FAIRVIEW A HISTORIC PARK AND A FIGH
Page 21 and 22: ALLEGRE ALL AGREE IT IS A SWELL PLA
Page 23 and 24: SHARON GROVE IT’S THE PEOPLE THAT
Page 25 and 26: Continued From Page 22 lived in the
Page 27 and 28: ALLENSVILLE HISTORIC TOWN WITH LOTS
Page 29 and 30: KIRKMANSVILLE COME ON DOWN FOR FOOD
Page 31 and 32: SMALL COMMUNITIES HADENSVILLE We kn
Page 33 and 34: TODDʼS UNIQUE PLACES BY CATHERINE
Page 35 and 36: GOVERNMENT County government is com
Page 37 and 38: HEALTH TODD COUNTIANS HAVE VARIETY
Page 39 and 40: EDUCATION SCHOOLS TO MAKE CURRICULU
Page 41 and 42: EVENTS Martin Luther King Jr. Day I
Page 43 and 44: LOCAL/AREA ATTRACTIONS Todd County
Page 45 and 46: INDUSTRY OUTLOOK FOR DEVELOPMENT IS
Page 47: AGRICULTURE TODD COUNTY PUTS THE BU
Page 51 and 52: Justice Center should be ready by 2
Page 53 and 54: LOCAL GROUPS/CLUBS Todd County Comm
Page 55 and 56: Cliff Hill Baptist Bro. Clarence Wh
Page 57 and 58: For the price of a steak dinner, yo

Todd County Standard - Kentucky Press Association

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