Challenger emerges in Whitefish City Judge race

A Flathead Justice Court clerk has filed for Whitefish City Judge, creating a contested race in that position for the first time in 20 years.

A Flathead Justice Court clerk has filed for Whitefish City Judge, creating a contested race in that position for the first time in 20 years.

Valarie Eve will challenge incumbent Bradley F. Johnson, who has filed for re-election and has held the post since January 1986.

Eve, a Justice Court clerk for the past three years, worked previously as a clerk at Whitefish City Court for three years. Prior to that she served as city judge for the cities of Conrad and Valier for 2 1/2 years. She has a paralegal degree from the University of Great Falls and spent several years as a paralegal in Great Falls, working for both criminal defense and civil litigation firms.

Eve is a Montana Judicial Institute graduate and has completed six judge training seminars.

If elected, Eve said she would open the court to more civil cases.

"I work in the civil end here and see the number of cases that have been referred to our court," she said about her county job. "We have the forum in our own city, but city courts don't [typically] like to do civil cases."

Eve, 49, said she would also use resources such as youth peer court, restorative justice and mediation programs.

"I'm open-minded. I want to make it the community's court," she said.

Eve is the wife of Whitefish city finance director Mike Eve, and the mother of two sons.

Johnson, 56, was first elected city judge in November 1985, when he won over Steven Sevener. Sevener had been appointed city judge earlier that year to fill the term of Richard Maddux, who resigned.

Later, Maddux filed to run against Johnson, but withdrew because of illness prior to the election. Johnson has been otherwise unopposed in the 20 years he's been city judge.

Johnson said he offers the city of Whitefish experience, education, integrity and independence, emphasizing that the autonomy of the court is what guarantees citizens get a "fair shake."

"People get to select their judge," he said. "Autonomy gives people faith in government."

Johnson has an undergraduate degree in business from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and earned his law degree from the University of Tulsa. He later did post-graduate studies in tax at Southern Methodist University.

He was a graduate of the first class of the Montana Judicial Institute and has taught at court symposiums at the request of the state Supreme Court.

Johnson said he's done civil cases in city court.

"I've used civil jurisdiction here. It comes and goes with the needs of the city," he said.

There have been preliminary discussions about switching the type of court in Whitefish from a city to a municipal court, given the increase in population, Johnson said. Municipal courts are courts of record with verbatim transcripts, and their judges are required to have law degrees.

Johnson served on the City Council for two years prior to his election as city judge. He and his wife, Lisa, have two daughters.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com