District Six District Attorney Geoffrey Rushlau was approved by the Legislature’s Joint Standing Judiciary Committee to join the Maine District Court at his hearing April 25. The vote was 12-0, with one member absent.

Rushlau first spoke to the committee and answered questions that ranged from family law experience and judicial temperament to restorative justice. Rushlau said his judicial philosophy will be much like his prosecutorial philosophy. “When you take a case before a judge and jury, as a prosecutor, you need to make sure that the case can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt,” he said. “That’s exactly what a judge will have to do for criminal cases.”

Rushlau doesn’t have a wealth of civil case experience, and one of the questions he received related to that. He responded that he considered himself fortunate that Maine District justices get a period of time to learn the ropes under a senior justice. “I am hopeful that anything I’ll need to learn will come up,” he said. “If not, I’ll know whom to ask.”

Another issue was the proposed Maine constitutional amendment for a “Bill of Rights” for victims. Rushlau cautioned about possible unintended consequences, but said nearly 40 states have enacted a similar Bill of Rights for victims. “We should look at those states’ experience,” he said. “I hope we will.”

Speaking in support of Rushlau, Attorney General Janet Mills said Rushlau had extensive trial experience and that many prosecutors have gone on to make excellent judges, including some who worked under her. Also speaking in favor of the nomination were Jonathan Liberman, Rushlau’s Deputy D.A.; trial attorney Ted Hoch of Woolwich; Meaghan Maloney, D.A. for District Four, which includes Kennebec County, and a member of the Maine Prosecutors Association, which has endorsed Rushlau; Andrew Robinson, D.A. for District Three, which includes Androscoggin County; and several others.

Two people spoke against Rushlau’s nomination: Michelle and Joseph Grenier of Stockton Springs in Waldo County made allegations regarding cases' handling by prosecutors and police.

The committee agreed to waive a part of the statute that requires a 15-minute break between the conclusion of the public hearing and the vote. According to Committeeman Alex Willette, the Senate will consider the issue on its next day in session, most likely later this week.