Our family has known Ron Powers and his family for years now as we have watched our kids grow up together in school from toddlers to young teenagers. We have always known that Ron was a lawyer, but that’s easy to forget when you are around him for any length of time. He is the model of a family man and unlike many of his contemporaries, he and his family live well within their means. He is well-rooted in the community through his involvement in his children’s school, church, and workplace.
When I think of the title “lawyer,” many negative connotations come to my mind such as greedy, arrogant, self-righteous, pompous, dishonest, self-centered, aggressive, snobby, and elitist, etc… I think you get the picture. If there was a picture of such a stereotypical lawyer in the dictionary, Ron Powers’ photo would not be found on that page. Some, but not all lawyers, fit the descriptions that I listed above, but Ron exhibits none of these traits.
Do we want a Sessions Court judge who is a nice guy, is an active church member, is a great dad, and do we want a judge who is stern, resolute, decisive, impartial and fair? We want all of these qualities in our judge, and Ron has all of these traits. We believe that Ron has a very strong desire to use his experience and qualifications as a seasoned lawyer to serve the people of this county through the court system. He sees this as an opportunity to work on the front lines of the legal system where the most people would be affected, and Sessions Court is just that place.
Court is not just a place for criminals and deadbeats; it is a place where many victims of crimes and innocently accused citizens have their first experience with the justice system. Ron will respect both sides of a case and will bring a sense of calm and decisiveness to any case he hears, and that could very well be a case where you or I are standing on the other side of the bench.
We are not telling you to vote for Ron Powers, but rather, we ask that you consider his qualifications and experience as you research the people on the ballot. Go to his website, introduce yourself at a local event, ask other lawyers who know him professionally, and read about him in the local media. You will not see him on the back cover of the phone book, and you will not find his bio on the County website via a political appointment. However, there are many ways to size up Ron as you prepare to vote in the upcoming election.
Conduct your research, and we feel confident that when you enter the voting booth, you will feel certain that you have voted for the best person to fill this position when you vote for Ron Powers for Sessions Court judge.
Robert & Tara Maner
Chattanooga