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Times recommends: Keep Hyslop as county judge

Peyton Hyslop is asking voters for a fourth term as Hernando County judge. We see no reason why voters should turn out an experienced jurist who has served with dignity, independence and compassion for the past 15 years.

Hyslop is facing a challenge in the Aug. 31 primary election from Don Scaglione. The contest is a replay of the matchup in 1998, when Hyslop bested his opponent with 56 percent of the vote in the nonpartisan race.

Scaglione, 45, is a senior prosecutor who handles homicides and other major cases in the State Attorney's Office, where he has worked since 1990. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Pasco-Hernando Community College.

As we noted when Scaglione ran against Hyslop in 1998, he is a capable and committed litigator who has demonstrated sincerity and professionalism in his job and in his campaigns for judge. He also has been nominated twice for openings on the 5th Judicial Circuit Court bench but was not selected.

All of that speaks to the confidence his peers and others in the law enforcement community have in Scaglione. We agree he would be a conscientious, hard-working and impartial judge, in either circuit or county court.

Yet, those credentials and confidence are not persuasive enough to recommend Scaglione over Hyslop, who has established himself as an unpretentious, open-minded judge who rules on cases with care and common sense.

Hyslop treats all defendants in his courtroom with respect. There is a humanity is his demeanor that is distinctive. In county court, many defendants appear without lawyers. Hyslop often finds himself being more than a judge who interprets the law and metes out punishment. There is an element of the job that requires him be a counselor and to look out for the welfare of the people who are affected by the crime, including victims, defendants, families and taxpayers. Hyslop balances those inherently divergent concerns well.

The case load in Hyslop's courtroom is growing with the county's population. He handled more than 8,000 misdemeanor and civil cases last year. He is earning $121,000 a year. His responsibilities will only increase. It appears he may need to restructure his docket to accommodate the increased caseload.

Ideally, the state Legislature and Supreme Court would recognize the need and approve a second county judgeship in Hernando. A request for that failed earlier this year. It would be good to see both candidates in this race on the bench.

But it may be a few years before that happens, and until then, we are compelled to back the incumbent, whose experience and humble disposition decisively qualify him for this demanding position. We recommend Hyslop to all voters Aug. 31.

Candidates who are not recommended by the Times are invited to respond. Replies for this race must be received no later than noon Wednesday, Aug. 11. Replies are limited to 250 words. Deliver to: Jeff Webb, Editor of Editorials, Hernando Times, 15365 Cortez Blvd. Brooksville, FL 34613. Fax to: 352 754-6133. E-mail responses to webb@sptimes.com