St. Charles Municipal Judge Candidate Profile: Paul Kaiser

Paul Kaiser is one of three candidates running for the position of Municipal Judge in St. Charles. The profiles for the other candidates, William Lohmar and , are also available. Kaiser was interviewed in person for this article. 

Website: None

Email: Phkaiser@sbcglobal.net

Phone: 636-916-5300

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Age: 61

Family: Kaiser's wife, Emily Kaiser, is an attorney. Kaiser has two children who are 28 and 26.

Education: Kaiser graduated from St. Louis University High School, earned an undergraduate degree from University of Missouri, and his law degree from Saint Louis University.

Occupation: Kaiser has been an attorney for 35 years. He said 90 percent of his practice is criminal law.

Party affiliation: This is a nonpartisan race. I have run as a Republican--once for prosecuting attorney, two times for associate circuit judge.

Previous elected offices: None

Applicable experience: I’ve had 20 years of public service before I came into private practice. I've only been in private practice since 2000. Before that, I was a with the District Attorney’s office in Fresno as an administrative law judge for state of California handling unemployment claims, disability claims, taxes--whether employers pay their taxes, sales taxes, that sort of thing. 

I’ve been a judge for 6.5 years and I issued over 6,000 written decisions at that time. The people that I've seen when I was a judge were generally unrepresented people. Back in the '80s in California, people were in great turmoil. The unemployment rate went sky high. These were people who applied for unemployment benefits and were turned down. I know how people act when they are in a stressful situation. From my years as a prosecutor, I am an expert on criminal law. I know the law, evidence, procedure. I practiced and still do in municipal courts since I’ve been in private practice. I go to courts, I know how people act, I know how they think. I know what to do when I’m there.

As a judge, I know, when you see the people there, you know they are all anxious they’re tired and they’re ticked off. Speeders, they think they’ve got the wrong guy, people who've been sitting there for two or three hours at least, they don’t like going there, they know it’s going to cost them money. You’ve got to have patience with them. You're a public servent.

CANDIDATE QUESTIONS

What is the primary reason you are running for this office? 

It’s an open seat, it’s vacant. My children are gone. It’s about three hours or four hours a week so, it’s only a part-time job not a full-time job. It will not interfere with my practice. There's not much to do at home at night. I enjoy law enforcement. I like being around people and the give-and-take. Plus, I’ll be honest with you, retirement is coming up, why not put away some money to retire on? Nothing wrong with that, I don’t think. After 35 years, I know a lot. Why not put it to some kind of use?

What will be your single most important priority if you get elected?

No. 1, what really irks me is in other cities, let’s say they seem to derive all of their income from the traffic court, they’ve got these speed traps all over the place. Fortunately, St. Charles is not like that. I want to make sure it doesn’t become like that. Traffic law is boming because everyone is writing tickets by the basketfuls. I want to make sure the fines are fair. These are rough times and people don’t have the ability to pay $300, $400 fines. There’s got to be some stopping of this stuff.

No. 2, we’ve got to make this more user-friendly, more people-friendly. Some sort of notice could be given if you want to pay your fine. If you sit there (on court night) you find out half the people who come in want to plead guilty. Why come in? They can go to the clerk’s window and pay the fine?

No. 3, I see the purpose of the court is a behavior modification. Some places think the purpose of the court is to gain as much money as they can for the general revenue. The fine has nothing to do with the behavior modification.

I'd say, "Look, how long have you been here tonight? Was it worth saving that extra 30 seconds for you to sit here and pay all this money? Maybe next time you’ll think twice."

What sets you apart from the other candidates, if contested?

I think the other thing that sets me apart, I actually have practiced for years in the municipal courts. I’ve actually been in practice.

The DWI laws are completely different now. I actually have the hands-on municipal experience, plus I have the unique experience having been a prosecutor. I know how (people attending municipal court) think. I’ve been a judge. I know how people react in situations. I’ll calm them down and so on. Of all the candidates, some of them have one characteristic, but I’m the only one that has all three, plus the experience, of course. People skills, legal skills and experience.

How long have you lived in St. Charles? 15 years

What's your favorite thing about St. Charles?

At least in the area where I am and so on everyone keeps things neat and clean and up to date. Everybody’s moving out west, there’s a lot of places that are not so neat and clean. They are getting beat up. But, at least where we live, it’s very nice. People are friendly and wave. You don’t have to worry about leaving stuff out on the lawn.

What is the biggest problem in St. Charles?

It’s getting rundown. Certain parts of West Clay, there are too many vacant places. That place on the corner of Booneslick and Fifth Street, every six months it turns into something else. The small businesses are leaving.