Q&A with District Court Judge Candidates Allen Blackmon and Jon Volyn, Part II
Covering challenges facing the court, helping offenders avoid cycles of debt, and discussing a rise in those who challenge the legitimacy of our courts and elections
This is part II of a two-part series. To read part I, click here.
Let’s pick up where we left off:
Q6, for both: One of the issues for some individuals going through drug court is that they're being sent to collections due to minor infractions, which can affect their ability to drive illegally and can be financially devastating for someone trying to get their life back on track. As a District Court judge, can you do anything about this situation, and would that be a priority for you?
Allen Blackmon:
Alternative courts in certain situations can be of great benefit to the criminal justice system and participants. We must make sure those eligible have the opportunity to engage in them. Payment of financial obligations that prohibit or hamper enrollment is one area where the court can help.
As District Court is the court most likely a person will encounter, that would typically be the source of any fees or fines they may owe. The court must be mindful of the person's financial circumstances when setting the financial payment plan for that individual. A person with many means should have a different payment schedule than a person with little or no means.
If elected, I would do what I could to help assist in this manner. Typically, a payment schedule starts 30 days from the entry of a sentence. That time period may be too short for an individual who has no means to begin to make payments. That payment schedule could be adjusted to make the first payment due in 60 or 90 days or further out to help them make their payments. Also, the amount of the payment could be adjusted to make sure that that is something they can financially make. Obviously, the court wants to make sure that it is getting paid before the offender spends their money on discretionary items that they do not need but want. However, the court could also make sure that a person is able to make the payments. Making a payment, no matter what that payment might be, is more important than making no payment at all. If that helps keep a person out of collections and allows them to keep their driver’s license then that is helping to promote justice.
As I am a proponent of the Drug Court in our Chelan County Superior Court, as well as developing a Mental Health Court in Chelan County District Court, I believe that there are things that we can do to assist offenders in their payment schedules to make sure that they can comply with these programs and that would be beneficial to the individual as well as our community.
I have been a deputy prosecutor for over 26 years, and I see the need for these programs, but also in altering payment schedules to make sure that individuals can at least make some type of payment instead of no payment at all.
Jon Volyn:
That is an important issue to me, and when I’m on the bench I do act on it. If someone is legitimately trying and making the effort, I have ordered their accounts to be removed from collections and placed back on court review, allowing them more time and flexibility to make payments without interest and other added penalties accruing. I want to work with people who are being accountable and trying to work towards making positive change.
Q7, for both: What are some of the biggest challenges facing our district courts and district court judges in Washington state right now?
Allen Blackmon:
First, there are challenges that face all our courts no matter the level. There are some people who question the legitimacy of our courts. This lack of confidence in our courts, the lack of balance, and the composition of the courts have the public concerned. All courts need to make sure that the public views them as ethical, impartial, balanced, and with the true goal of justice. It is how the judges in those courts conduct themselves that can help.
Mental health is one of the biggest issues facing our courts, law enforcement, and society right now. These are difficult issues dealing which include homelessness as well. We need an approach that will hold offenders accountable as well as help address the underlying issues. I have addressed that above in explaining why mental health and our courts and society are so important to me. It is why I am involved in over five committees helping to address mental health and substance abuse in our courts and community.
If we are able to have the time and resources to address each individual case fully, then we could help adapt programs that might help prevent future offenses. Accountability must be the key goal in District Court in order to address those who commit crimes against our public. But for other people, such as those mentally ill, if we had the resources to fully engage those individuals and help them get back on track with their medications or counseling, that would go a long way in addressing recidivism for those individuals. Additionally, many cases that come before the court may have a substance use component to them. The court needs to understand that issue in order to properly address that case and determine the appropriate level of punishment, and what the court can do to assist them in the rehabilitation. Court resources are stretched thin, so that is a great challenge to our local courts.
Some of the challenges specifically to District Courts are the caseloads that they have and lack of resources. District Courts are one of the areas where the judge can have the greatest impact upon a person. Our Juvenile Court system is where someone's first experience with the court might be. The Juvenile Courts are both rehabilitative and punishment based.
I've been involved in the Juvenile Courts for over 20 years in addition to my other caseloads. Some of the goals that we have in Juvenile Court could be applied to our District Court level. As discussed above, the way we address financial payments in Juvenile Court is to make sure we're getting some payment even though if it may not be the entire payment. And we are flexible with our payment schedules. Additionally, we have programs available in Juvenile Court that could be helpful if adapted to the adult court system, such as more in-depth probation for certain offenses.
Jon Volyn:
We are dealing with issues of crimes related to homelessness and drug use. Often there is a mental health component as well. From the judicial side, its important in criminal cases to punish appropriately when necessary to protect the safety of the public. Additionally, due to some national news, some people question the reputation of the judiciary. We judges need to strive to do our best in not only decision making but in communicating with the public to ensure that our local residents have the utmost confidence in our local judiciary.
Q8, for both: Is there anything else about you or your candidacy that the public should know?
Allen Blackmon:
I have been a prosecutor for over 26 years and committed my life to public service for our community. I grew up and was raised in our county and is it important for me that are criminal justice system is addressing the needs of our community. I have been proudly representing our community in all our local courts doing what I can to keep our public safe.
I often get asked why I am not a pro-tem judge. The answer is simple. I cannot be due to ethical rules. There are very specific ethical rules that judges, and judicial candidates must know and follow. These are separate from the ethical rules that all attorneys must follow. The judicial “canons” are very important. We must act in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary. One such rule is not to create a conflict of interest. If I were to be a pro-tem judge, then that would create a conflict of interest as I would be presiding over cases my current employer, the Chelan County Prosecutor’s Office is prosecuting. As such, that would erode public confidence as I would have a conflict of interest. Therefore, I am not afforded the opportunity other private attorneys have in being a pro-tem judge.
I'm in involved in our community in several different committees. I have been involved in our mental health community for over 9 years helping to address mental health individuals in our local courts. I've been active with S.A.G.E, which is our local domestic violence and sexual assault counseling center for over 25 years, volunteering and helping to train their advocates. I am a member of the Wenatchee Valley College Criminal Justice Advisory Committee, have lectured in criminal justice classes, and have lectured for the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorney classes as well.
I have volunteered for mock trials and have been involved in our local schools educating them about a career in the law. I am active and enjoy hiking in our area, snowboarding, cooking, working on cars (I still own my first car I bought in high school in 1983), home improvement, listening to live music and theater, travel, and am willing to try many new things.
I have many endorsements by elected judges, notably Judge Kristin Ferrera and Judge Eric Biggar, as well as retired judges Lesley Allan, Alicia Nakata, and “T.W.” Chip Small. I'm endorsed by the current Chelan County Prosecutor Robert Sealby, Douglas County Prosecutor Gordon Edgar, as well as retired Douglas County Prosecutor Steve Clem. Other elected current or retired officials include Chelan County Coroner Wayne Harris and Chelan County Commissioners Buell Hawkins and Douglas England.
And I have a Chow Chow, Benji, who is the best dog on the planet and a good boy.
I have humbly and ethically served our county for 26 years. It would be my great honor to serve you as your next District Court Judge and I will discharge the duties ethically, fairly, impartially, and balanced.
Jon Volyn:
When I started working as a judge two years ago, I found that I truly love the job. For me a judge is a position of service to the community. My focus is on how I can help my community and the people who appear before me. I became inspired that this is a calling for me and my opportunity so be of service to Chelan County.
Additionally, I am endorsed and supported by almost all of the lawyers who practice in district court. That’s significant because they are the ones who see me doing the job – and they want me to keep doing the job.
Follow-Up Questions Regarding Endorsements, Proximity to Partisan Politics, and Election Conspiracies
While I was looking through both candidates’ lists of endorsements, I saw the names of friends and respected acquaintances on both. I also picked out one name on each list that gave me pause. Both are individuals who easily qualify as political activists with extreme positions based on conspiracy theories. I know this because both are individuals I have written about before.
If you read part I, you’ll know that question five was about this very issue:
“Do you think it’s important for judicial candidates and judges to avoid being involved in or closely affiliated with partisan politics and/or partisan activists?”
Something else that caught my eye was this photo of Volyn at a Republican event with Scott Stephenson, a man who wrote: “Let’s be very clear — the 2020 election was stolen,” on his website.
To be clear, I did not reach out to either candidate because they attended events put on by political parties or for posing for pictures with other candidates or partisans. That is part of running for office, and a good judicial candidate should speak to and listen to folks on both sides of the political aisle.
The focus is simply “election integrity.”
So I reached out to both candidates with follow-up questions about that and where both stand on the 2020 election conspiracy colloquially known as “The Big Lie.”
Here’s what I asked both candidates:
“1. Do you believe the 2020 election was stolen?
2. Do you think it's problematic for judges and judicial candidates to be seen rubbing elbows with proponents of The Big Lie?
To be clear, the reason I ask isn't that I'm trying to make any petty partisan point. The end of the peaceful transfer of power for the first time in American history marks a turning point for our nation, and those who seek to undermine the integrity of our elections pose an existential threat to our republic at every level.
My third question is this: If you lose the election, will you accept the results as reported by Chelan County Auditor Skip Moore?
It seems absurd to even feel the need to ask these questions but from the example set by our former president and the beliefs espoused by those who continue to propagate The Big Lie, they are questions every reporter should ask every candidate running for any elected office for at least the next two election cycles.
Thank you for your time.”
I also asked both if they were endorsed by the local chapters of either or both of the major political parties and Volyn specifically about the photo with an unabashed election denier.
Here’s what they wrote:
Allen Blackmon:
As to your questions, I am going to answer them and do my best to tread carefully due to judicial rules and canons.
1. I am not endorsed, or sought an endorsement, by either political party.
2. I do not, nor at anytime ever did, believe the election was stolen.
3. It is problematic if we prescribe to the views they espouse. This is a difficult one as sometimes you do not always know what their beliefs are. Do I have acquaintances who believe in the Big Lie (and is this referring to people who think Trump won, correct?)? It is possible that they believe that, though they would know not to discuss that around me as I don’t want to hear it or agree with it. You also get into a situation where you have a sign-up sheet (let’s say at the fair) where people can sign up to endorse you. Often, you may not know who that person is. There are people who have said they want to endorse me that come from the extremes of both parties (just showing non-bias) that I have not accepted their endorsement. I am trying my best to be a candidate and judicial officer that truly will be fair, ethical, and impartial.
I know it is so, not sure the word, unusual/strange/sad, that you have to ask this question, but I absolutely will accept the results as Skip Moore reports them.
I hope by the manner of my answers, I have abided by the judicial rules.
Thank you again for the opportunity!
Jon Volyn:
I have purposely sought out bipartisan support as I want to be the Judge for everyone, not just one party or affiliation. To my knowledge, the Republican party is not choosing one candidate over the other but is supporting both candidates without any endorsement. The Democrat party has elected not to endorse anyone but will be supporting me as their “recommended candidate.”
Election Integrity: I believe in our local election process and will stand by any result that Skip Moore and out local Auditor office certifies. I’ve never made any statement or comment suggesting in any way that I have doubted the validity of any election, nationwide or local.
As for the photo and rubbing elbows question, it all has to do with the nature of running a campaign. When you are non-partisan, you attend functions for both affiliations. I was one of three candidates invited to a flag day event run by the Chelan Valley Republican Women. They took a picture of the candidates attending. I don’t believe the picture was in any way an endorsement by me of anyone else or a statement that I agree with any other candidate’s beliefs or platforms.
My Two Cents
I decided to leave the names of the two political activists on the candidates’ endorsement lists out of this piece because the focus is on this race and the two candidates in it.
The decision to follow up and ask about election integrity, or The Big Lie, or whatever you want to call it, is one I considered for a while. It’s the reason I delayed this piece for a time. And I’m not the only reporter or candidate wrestling with this issue this election season.
But once we’ve established both men in this race don’t believe in unfounded election conspiracies and will abide by the election results, as reported by Chelan County Auditor Skip Moore, then the focus is on who is going to the best job.
I hope the answers Blackmon and Volyn have provided will give folks a better idea of who that is, but ultimately, the decision is up to Chelan County voters.