Author: judgecottonwalker
Judge Cotton Walker personifies all that is right about staying intentionally connected to his community, working tirelessly for justice, and collaborating with our citizens to help insure safe and healthy communities for those in Cole County. Cotton has served as a judge in mid-Missouri for over 25 years and has been recognized statewide for his leadership. His commitment is real and he has been a difference-maker in the improvement of our courts.
Experience. Justice. Community. Independence. Law & Order.
These are the principles of our campaign and the elements that are essential to serving as a judge.
EXPERIENCE
- Judge Cotton Walker has practiced law in Jefferson City since 1992. In addition to his law practice, he has served as a Municipal Judge in Cole County for 24 years. This EXPERIENCE includes a strong record of working with other judges and with our law enforcement officers.
JUSTICE
- By working for JUSTICE every day, he has successfully changed the way Jefferson City assists citizens who have a case in court but also need mental health or substance use treatment services, housing, veterans’ services, or job training and employment.
COMMUNITY
- Judge Walker stays intentionally connected to our COMMUNITY by volunteering his time participating on boards, coaching youth sports and assisting his Church and other community organizations.
INDEPENDENCE
- He is committed to working for the INDEPENDENCE of a strong and effective judicial system for all Missourians.
LAW & ORDER
- Judge Walker remains focused on LAW & ORDER by issuing effective punishment for offenders of the local laws. He also works with the juvenile office and public school district serving as the truancy court judge.
Law & Order
Our community standards are reflected in the law as written and how the law is interpreted and enforced in our courts. There must be consequences for breaking the law, but we must also help those in need. I do not believe those principles are irreconcilable.
In our Capital City the court has a community partnership program – at no cost – to help our neighbors including indigent defendants, people in need of treatment for addictions or mental health services, the homeless, even those who need employment assistance. This is a program I began several years ago by personally seeking resources we have available in Cole County.
As judge, I preside over an open court. The community is welcome to see how an independent judge works with people in all situations while still seeing the rule of law enforced.
– Judge Walker
Independence
“Judicial independence is critical to sustaining our democratic form of government established by the U.S. Constitution and developed through history.”
– William Robinson, III, American Bar Association.
The principle of independence is paramount for a judge and I carry this with me to the bench where the pursuit of justice in each case rests on impartiality. This is also important to the citizens of Cole County who must have confidence that their cases will be decided fairly and in accordance with the law. I serve with this in mind.
As former Supreme Court Justice O’Connor stated, “Judges must not be selected based on their policy preferences…instead they must be accountable to the law as it is and independent from political pressure in the application of it.”
– Judge Walker
Community.
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
As a judge, I believe it is important to stay connected to the community. I learned the importance of community involvement at an early age and I know that volunteering to serve local charities, coaching youth sports, serving meals at churches, leading boards and non-profit organizations has allowed me to serve the common good for our community.
The nature of this service also helps me stay in touch with our community expectations and allows me to know people from all situations living in Cole County.
– Judge Walker
Judge Cotton Walker 