[10/29/02]Four of the five candidates for Warren County judge addressed potential Warren County grand jurors Monday and the fifth, Robert Arledge, said he would have been there except for a communications error.

William Bost Jr., 57; incumbent Gerald Hosemann, 50; Warren County Prosecutor Johnny Price, 56; and Clarence A. Whitaker, 59, each made remarks to about 48 people summoned to the Warren County Circuit Courtroom from voter rolls.

Arledge, 45, said he received an invitation letter from Judge Isadore Patrick, who is presiding over the criminal court term, but not a confirmation of the date or time.

Voters countywide will have the chance to cast a ballot for one of the five a week from today in what is probably the most intense local race on the ballot. If one candidate doesn’t receive more than half the votes, a runoff will be two weeks later.

Two school board seats and a constable’s election are also on ballots for some voters on the federal midterm election day.

In Monday’s audience were prospective members of the last of this year’s four grand juries. The 18 drawn were officially empaneled and will spend most of the week deciding whether the state’s cases against about 81 criminal defendants are sufficient to proceed to trial. Patrick said he expected the jurors to complete their work in about four days.

State law says judicial candidates may speak to grand jury panels and Patrick gave each two minutes.

The Warren County judge will hear not only cases involving criminal misdemeanors and civil claims up to $75,000, but also administers Youth Court, which deals with delinquency, abuse, neglect and supervision matters involving children under age 18. The judgeship pays $93,700 a year.

County court judges’ terms, four years under current law, would be lengthened to six beginning with this year’s elections if a proposed amendment to the state constitution passes. That amendment would also lengthen the terms of circuit and chancery judges.