Meet the Candidates: David M. Haws - Superior Court Judge Division 4

Name: David M. Haws

Age: 51

Office running for: Yuma County Superior Court judge, Division 4

Family: Wife Heidi Haws; children Andrew, 23, James, 22, Sarah, 14

Party: Republican

Education: B.A. political science BYU 1986, juris doctorate 1989 J Rueben Clark Law School

Employment: Superior Court judge, Yuma County Division 4

To what organizations do you belong? I am active in my church, I serve on the board of the Housing Authority of the City of Yuma (HACY), I have been a youth sports coach for the past 14 years.

What in your past experiences helps qualify you for this seat? I have worked in the Yuma County court system since 1991, first as a criminal prosecutor with the Yuma County Attorney's Office for 20 years and now as a Superior Court judge. I have prosecuted thousands of cases with over a hundred trials. I have been in Superior Court almost every day for over 20 years. I have seen the attributes and characteristics of some great judges and therefore know what it takes to be a good judge. I have the experience, the integrity and the demeanor to be a very good judge.

If elected, what is the one issue on which you would focus to improve Yuma's quality of life? How? I will continue to serve and protect the people of Yuma County as a Superior Court judge. My focus would be to treat everyone that appears before me with courtesy, respect and dignity, and to make correct decisions based on the facts and the law of each case.

What do you think is the biggest challenge right now facing Yumans, and how would you change it? Economic stress is an overriding problem in our community. More and more people find themselves in court due to economic difficulties. This is true in civil cases, criminal cases and domestic relations cases. When people come to court to deal with these problems, I will listen respectfully to their side of the story and make my decisions fairly and impartially. I cannot promise any particular outcome to a case but I can promise that people will have the chance to be heard.

What would you do to make government more accessible? All government offices and agencies should provide a mechanism to receive and respond to criticisms and suggestions of the citizens they serve. I will make sure that people understand that they have the right to provide this feedback after they appear in my court. Any suggestions or criticisms we receive will be given careful consideration and changes will be made where it is appropriate.

Who is your personal hero, and why? My father is my hero. He was a man who had to work hard his whole life to provide for and support his family. He never graduated from college and at times struggled to make ends meet. He was a model of honesty and integrity and gave all of his children the great gift of loving us and our mother. He instilled in each of his children a work ethic and the desire to receive an education. All of his children graduated from college and earned postgraduate degrees. Whenever I have a difficult decision or question in my life, I consider what my dad would do and I know I am on the right track.