Chris Harris
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Question 1:
What experiences – both personal and professional – do you bring to this position that you believe make you uniquely qualified for the role of Justice of the Supreme Court? Why should voters choose you?
I've been a practicing attorney for nearly 25 years and successfully argued cases in the Supreme Courts of Kentucky and West Virginia. As a member of the Kentucky General Assembly I’ve earned a reputation as a strong defender of good government, transparency and accountability. I’ve held other elected public figures to those standards and believe our state’s highest court should be filled by men and women of the highest integrity who strive to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.
Question 2:
What do you see as your primary responsibilities and duties if elected to this office? Do you see a conflict between being an elected official and an independent judge?
I see the duties and responsibilities of a Supreme Court Justice as being an independent and fair but compassionate judge of issues of law that have made their way through Kentucky’s lower courts. I do not see a conflict of interest between being an elected official and an independent judge.
Question 3:
What are your views on whether the court, as a whole, deals effectively with racial and gender bias? What could improve that?
I don’t believe we, as a society, have done nearly enough to address generations of racial and gender bias suffered by minorities. As a judicial candidate I am unable to state how I might rule on any particular case or issue.
Question 4:
Do you believe that all citizens have adequate access to legal help and the legal system? If not, what can be done to provide wider and better access?
Answer 4:
As a practicing attorney I’ve witnessed countless instances where defendants have not had access to competent legal defense. Additionally, as a State Representative, I supported and voted for a victim’s bill of rights. As a judicial candidate I am unable to state how I might rule on any particular case or issue.
Question 5:
What do you believe is the purpose of incarceration, both pre-trial and post-trial?
Answer 5:
Post trial incarceration should be two-fold as a deterrent as well as a tool to use in the process of rehabilitation. Pretrial incarceration should be focused on safety as every Defendant has a presumption of innocence.
Question 6:
How would you respond to the argument that the cash bail system should be eliminated because it disproportionately punishes low income Kentuckians?
Answer 6:
As a judicial candidate I am unable to state how I might rule on any particular case or issue.