I met Reed Sheppard and his wife Diann at the South Valley Parade. He is one of those individuals that I feel will end up on the Metro Court as a judge in the very near future. I must admit that we are fortunate to have three candidates that would all make excellent judges. I truly wish that we could vote for all of them but we must make a choice. I hope that the interviews will help democrats in making that choice. I have been truly disappointed by the Albuquerque Journal as of late when it comes to how badly they represent our candidates. I hope these interviews point out just how qualified our candidates are and that they are fully prepared to give their best for our community.The Interview:
Do you have a campaign website or some way for people to contact you if they are interested in volunteering for your campaign? http://www.reedsheppard.org/
Tell us your age? 56
What is your favorite subject area and what was the last book you read? U.S. History. The Innocent Man-Murder and Injustice in a Small Town, by John Grisham.
Tell us about your family. I am married to Diann Sheppard and we will celebrate 20 years of marriage this October. Diann has been a Court Clinician in the Second Judicial District Court for 17 years. We have two sons, Brian and Jason. Jason is married and has given us two wonderful grandchildren. Jason is an analyst for a defense contractor and his wife Amanda will graduate from UNM School of Law later this month. Brian uses his creativity and artistic ability in remodeling homes in the Albuquerque area. I gained two sons when I married Diann who had Jason and Brian from a prior marriage.
Who is the better cook in your family and do you help out in the kitchen? I love to barbeque and I make some very tasty Cajun dishes which I learned to cook from my years in Louisiana before I discovered New Mexico and made it my home in 1987. Aside from my specialty cooking, Diann is the better cook and really enjoys cooking when she has time. I do like to help out in the kitchen.
If we asked your wife what are your strong points and what are your weak points, what do you think her response would be? Diann says my strong points are my love of and faith in God, family and friends; being dependable and trustworthy; treating all people with respect and dignity; and being a good role model for our sons and grandchildren. She wishes I were better organized at home and did not allow stacks of mail, magazines, etc. to accumulate around the house and feels like I over-commit my time to volunteer organizations.
When and why did you decide to become a lawyer? I have always been fascinated with the law, having grown up with Perry Mason on TV. After I received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy and moved to Albuquerque, I went to paralegal school and was working for Ira Robinson, now Court of Appeals Judge Ira Robinson, when I decided to become a lawyer. I love the challenge, the intellectual stimulation and the ability to truly help people in a system that can totally overwhelm someone who does not have a competent, committed lawyer to represent them.
Where did you get your education and why did you decide to work here in Albuquerque, New Mexico? I earned a B.S. in Marketing from L.S.U. in 1972 and my J.D. degree from UNM School of Law in 1992, graduating cum laude and Order of the Coif. By that time I had lived in Albuquerque for five years and loved New Mexico, the people, the food and the land. My wife had begun her career as a child custody mediator and our sons were well established in Albuquerque.
What area of law did you specialize in? I have practiced in a wide variety of legal areas in my career as a lawyer, including criminal defense, plaintiff’s personal injury, insurance defense, family law, probate and wills & trusts. This variety has provided me with a wealth of experience in dealing with people from very diverse backgrounds and helping people resolve problems in a multitude of areas.
What is your career history? In the twenty years after graduating college before becoming a lawyer in 1992, I was in banking, an account executive with Merrill Lynch, a sales rep with Xerox, drove an eighteen-wheeler for a short time over the road and served in the U.S. Navy. As a lawyer I have been in private practice (see my response to the previous question), was a Metropolitan Court Judge from January 2000 to December 2000, losing the general election by 873 votes out of 189,000 votes cast, and for the last 5 ½ years I have been a Special Commissioner for Domestic Violence in the Second Judicial District Court.
What made you decide to become a democrat? Democrats put people before profits and all that means to our society. There are other reasons too numerous to mention here.Tell us the experience and qualities you think would make you a good judge. All of my life experiences have prepared me to be a judge. When I was a judge previously, the Tribune when recommending me to the voters wrote, “Sheppard is acclaimed by court-watchers for his respectful and dignified demeanor as a Metro Court judge for the last eight months, for his competence and for the ample experience he is able to bring to bear.” As a domestic violence commissioner I have worked in a high stress, fast paced environment presiding over more than 5000 hearings. I have assisted victims of domestic abuse obtain a better and safer quality of life by issuing orders of protection and ordering child support be paid when appropriate. Numerous individuals have been sentenced to the Metropolitan Detention Center as a result of violating orders of protection issued in my Court.
What distinguishes you from your opponent(s) and why do you think you could do a better job? I am a proven judge/judicial officer who has earned the respect of the community by having a thorough knowledge of the laws and rules of procedure, treating everyone with respect and dignity, being fair and impartial and being prompt and timely in handling my docket. I can start hearing cases as a Metro Court judge on day one after I am sworn into office. Additionally, I have a vast amount of knowledge, experience and training concerning domestic violence which is one of the most difficult and pervasive problems facing our community. I can readily transfer this knowledge to the Metropolitan Court bench where I can have a significant impact by addressing this issue with the best practices I have learned over the last 5 ½ years.
What is the biggest problem facing the judicial system when it comes to woman’s issues and how would you resolve it if given the opportunity? Domestic violence is one of the most critical issues facing women in this community. If elected I will work to implement a second specialized DV court which has proven to be a very effective way to address the complex issue of DV. We need better training of police, judges, victim advocates and the general public in domestic violence and I will offer my time to assist in this training. I have developed key contacts in all of the above areas through my service as a judge and commissioner. Having taught a DV course at the UNM School of Law, a similar class open to the public would be a great service to the community and could quite possibly be funded through a federal grant.
Do you feel that the general public understands how the court system here in Bernalillo County works or should more be done to educate them? In general I believe the public understands the court system but there is always more that can be done to educate the public. PSAs would be helpful as would be classes through the State Bar which I would be glad to present to the public on how the court system operates.
