By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
Dale Blunier told Dowagiac City Council Monday night that the only person who knows more about Fourth District Court is the man he seeks to succeed, retiring Judge Paul Deats.
Blunier faces Assistant Attorney General and former prosecutor Scott Teter and Paw Paw attorney Stacey Rentfrow, a former Van Buren County Friend of the Court referee from Marcellus, in Tuesday's primary.
Two top vote-getters advance to the November general election.
"I have more experience in that court in the last 11 years than anybody else," Blunier said. "It handles between 11,000 and 12,000 cases a year. Two thousand are criminal cases. Eight hundred are felonies that start there and go on to Circuit Court. They have what are known as probable cause hearings or preliminary examinations. We don't try murder cases, home invasions or rape cases. Probably two-thirds of the cases are drunk driving, domestic violence or driving with license suspended. The majority of other cases are traffic tickets, small claims and landlord-tenant" disputes.
"I have an extensive civil practice in those types of cases," he said. "Basically, what you need in a District Court judge is someone who can collaborate with other county officials. I've been doing that."
For the past 11 years he has contracted with Cass County to represent indigent defendants who cannot afford their own attorneys, Blunier estimates saving the county $500,000 to $1 million on public defenders.
"I've worked with the other judges, the Board of Commissioners, law enforcement and the sheriff in trying to keep jail overcrowding down," Blunier said. "If you're going to have new programs to try to alleviate jail overcrowding, you're going to need someone who can actually work with those groups. If you don't, if they don't collaborate, nothing will ever get done. (Judge) Sue Dobrich has a Family Treatment Court. There was a nice article in the Dowagiac Daily News about that. She stressed how she had to collaborate and build consensus to make sure this program went through. It's been very successful."
Blunier would like to try something like Drug Court because he's confident "I have the ability to work with other people. I'm coming in here with the idea I have no agenda whatsoever. I make only one promise: I'll be fair and impartial. I'll treat everybody the same. I want you to think about that. Do you want someone with an agenda? Or somebody who's going to look at every case on a case-by-case basis?"
Domestic violence cases would be a priority of a Judge Blunier.
He supports a "rocket docket" because "those cases linger. They don't have to be brought to trial for months. Berrien County is bringing them to trial in 30 days. That's important because the longer those cases stand out there," the more likely the victim and defendant reconcile.
"I can tell you as a defense attorney," he said, "the more chance they have of being back together, you're never going to get a conviction. She's not going to want to testify. A rocket docket makes sure these cases are expedited so people can get the help and treatment they need."
Blunier pledged that the current 10-member staff's jobs would be secure for at least a year.
"Five are union and five are non-union," he related. That commitment "is important because if you're handling 11,000 to 12,000 cases per year, you can't have a turnover in staff. These people are specialized and they do good work. I know because I'm there, I work with them and I've seen everything they do. We need consistency and good employer-employee relationships."
"Anybody involved in the system will tell you I make good decisions," Blunier said. "I've been here, I've stayed here, I've worked hard. I love this community, no matter how corny it sounds, because I'm part of it and my family's here. I want it to be safe and sound and good for everybody."
Blunier, 52, who attended school in Dowagiac from fifth to ninth grades, would have graduated with the Union High Class of 1974 had his family not moved.
He rode the school bus with Police Chief Tom Atkinson and his sister, County Clerk-Register Barb Wilson.
He is supported by County Treasurer Linda Irwin and Third Ward Councilman Dr. Charles Burling, who said, "Dale's a good listener."
For the past 18 years, Dale and his wife, teacher Leigh Goyings, have lived in Edwardsburg, where Blunier served on the school board for five years.
He's been with Civitan and Edwardsburg Lions Club for 14 years and been legal adviser to numerous organizations, including the city Police Athletic League (PAL).
Son Tom graduated with the Class of 2008 and will attend Ferris State University. He's leaning toward teaching over law "because he wants his summers off to play tennis," Blunier said.