This judicial sinecure may, or it may not, be the place for servitude.

I thought Halloween was in October?

The newspaper may not cover the waterfront, but reporter Daniel Suddeath covers the race for judge, which evidently is so important that only the four candidates for sheriff seem to be spending more money for signs than this quartet currently is -- with the notable exception of James "Jim" Hancock. I've rewritten just one crucial sentence:

Hancock, 61, is frank about his reasoning for seeking the judge’s seat. "Buying those old Glenn Hancock signs at the yard sale was the best move I ever made," he said. "A bit of white-out, and I'm good to go.

Apart from that, a very gentle point about words:

ser·vi·tude
ˈsərviˌt(y)o͞od/
noun
the state of being a slave or completely subject to someone more powerful.
synonyms: slavery, enslavement, bondage, subjugation, subjection, domination; More
antonyms: liberty
LAWarchaic ... the subjection of property to an easement.

As opposed to ...

serv·ice
ˈsərvis/
noun
1.
the action of helping or doing work for someone.
"millions are involved in voluntary service"
synonyms: favor, kindness, good turn, helping hand

If the judge's position merits campaign expenditures like these, my guess is that "service" is more appropriate than "servitude," even if other words spring readily to mind.

Richard Rush is running for Judge of Floyd Superior Court #2.

Previously, one of the contenders for Floyd Superior Court #2 went and declared.

Matt Lorch sets sight on da Judgeship.

Now there is another, and I know him, too. That's scary.

C. Richard Rush

I am announcing my candidacy for Judge of Floyd Superior Court #2. The primary election is May 6, 2014. I will need your vote and your help to get elected to this office. I am hopeful I can count on my many great friends and family that I have been blessed with to help me prevail in this election. I am looking forward to the opportunity to serve the county in this busy Court and replace the Honorable Glenn Hancock who has opted to retire at the end of 2014.

Matt Lorch sets sight on da Judgeship.

I'd hate to lose Matt's mischievous countenance at council conclaves, but onward and upward. The lawyering business comes naturally to Matt, and he's conscientious and diligent. Best of luck to him.

Lorch to run for Superior Court Judge; Local lawyer currently serves as council attorney, by Daniel Suddeath (N and T)

New Albany City Council Attorney Matthew Lorch is seeking to be the next judge of Floyd County Superior Court No. 2.

Open thread: Elections for Floyd County Superior Court 2 & 3.

The election’s only a week away, and it’s time to consider the local races. NAC’s pants-down editorial board hasn’t undertaken a detailed consideration of the candidates, which is to say there hasn’t been the chance to set aside three hours for beer, pizza and politics. For now, we're throwing out local contests randomly for discussion, and using the Tribune's hard work to set the table. Thanks, guys.

First up, the two contested judicial races. In the new Floyd Superior 3 ...

Attorneys battle to become judge of new Floyd County court, by Matt Thacker (News and Tribune).

Two New Albany attorneys are facing off to become the first judge of the newly created Floyd County Superior Court No. 3. The campaigns have focused on what type of experience is most important for a judge.

Republican Rick Fox, 53, boasts 21 years of experience in the courtroom and has represented various agencies at different levels of government. Democrat Maria Granger, 53, says she already has judicial experience as a Supreme Court Hearing Officer and taught Business Law at Indiana University Southeast.

Fox has accused Granger of not having enough jury trial experience.“I’ve tried criminal and civil jury trials as well as have had many cases in the Indiana Court of Appeals,” Fox said. “I think that distinguishes my record from (Granger’s) record.”

Granger said that she has tried about 10 cases before a jury, but also manages more than 600 cases per year as Hearing Officer.

Earlier today at Freedom of Speech, Granger repeated a statement that first drew attention here during last spring’s primary, and that Fox references above:

I am also the only candidate in this race who has fought crime for more than five years and prosecuted hundreds of cases before judges and juries.

Perhaps our resident legal minds can help make sense of this lingering oddity. What constitutes a case before a judge and jury, and how many has she really tried?

ELECTION Q & A 2008: Floyd Superior Court 3
Maria Granger for Judge (Superior III)
Rick Fox for Judge (Superior III)

The other contested judicial race is Superior 2, pitting Glenn Hancock (D) and Chris Lane (R).

ELECTION Q&A 2008: Floyd Superior Court 2
Glenn Hancock for Judge (Superior II)
Chris Lane for Judge (Superior II)

Susan Orth (D) is unopposed in Superior I: Susan Orth for Judge (Superior I).

Please post your thoughts, subject to the usual identification policy.