Here at Weld, we know that politicians have the right to free speech and we believe in their right to exercise it. In Election Connection, we offer local politicians the chance to explain to their constituents what makes them unique. The next submission is from Brian Huff.
My name is Judge Brian Huff, and I have been the presiding circuit judge at your Jefferson County Family (Juvenile) Court since 2005. I am running for re-election because I care about the future of Birmingham and Jefferson County and I believe in this community. As a life-long resident of Jefferson County and a national presenter on juvenile justice topics, I want to continue to take the best from around the country and improve our nationally recognized Family Court.
My 21 years of legal experience ranges from investigative work to almost 10 years in a successful family law practice with Boyd, Fernamubq and Dunn, P.C. to 7 years as circuit judge. During this time, I have seen the problems that exist in our system, and I have also struggled to improve them.
Jefferson County Family Court handles a variety of cases involving juvenile delinquency (criminal cases), child abuse and neglect, child support and custody, civil domestic violence cases, juvenile mental health commitments and emergency medical orders. I personally hear the juvenile drug court, gun court and re-entry from juvenile prison dockets, civil restraining orders, child abuse and neglect, child custody and support, emergency medical treatments and juvenile mental health commitments. I promise to continue to be fair and treat each litigant with the respect they deserve.
Because the majority of our budget comes from Jefferson County resources, one of our biggest challenges in the past several years has been funding. We have handled this situation as well as any county department through reallocation of resources. As violent crime has declined in the area, we have reduced the number of children who are jailed. The savings have been used to replace lost funding so that we can continue to adequately supervise the children on our docket and protect the community.
As a direct result of the reduced incarceration, the State of Alabama has provided over $2,000,000 in the past five years directly to Jefferson County Family Court. We have used this additional funding to create additional programming to keep Jefferson County safe and rehabilitate our youth. With this money, we have created a new mentoring program, worked with Gateway to create a new in-patient drug treatment center for youth located in Jefferson County and we have funded our electronic monitoring and drug testing programs, both of which would have been cut due to loss in revenue.
On the child abuse and neglect side, we have created a new adult drug court to assist parents who have children in state custody as a result of drug and alcohol use. Because of this specialty docket, parents are able to focus more closely on their treatment, and children stop languishing in foster care.
When parents cannot get off drugs or if they are no longer in their children’s life, we have expedited the process of termination of parental rights, so children can move on to a loving adoptive family. Previously, children may wait for years for their parents to get clean and provide a home for them. Often, this waiting was to no avail, and the children would age out of the system. Children need forever homes – hopefully with their parents- with people who love them. This process helps them get into those homes.
Finally, we have worked hard to see that victims of domestic violence are protected. I have partnered with the YWCA and the Coordinated Community Response to Family Violence (CCR) to organize a supervise visitation and exchange center. Under trained supervisors, non-custodial parents can continue their relationship with their children while the Court can be sure that victims are protected.
I am supported and endorsed by a wide variety of organization from the Jefferson County Police Chiefs’ Association and the Fraternal Order of Police to the Jefferson County Labor Council and the United Mineworkers of America. I was Child Advocate of the Year for 2011, President of the Alabama Juvenile Judges’ Association for 2011, Chair of the Jefferson County Children’s Policy Council, a member of Leadership Birmingham, a member of the Jefferson County Health Action Partnership, and a member of St. Paul’s Cathedral Catholic Church.
As the father of two daughters, I promise to fight hard for their future and the future of our community. I respectfully ask for your vote on November 6.