Lewis County Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt Plans Retirement

Lewis County Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt announced Tuesday that he does not plan to seek reelection for another term, and will retire when his current term ends in January, 2017.

“I will be 67 next year and it is just time to retire,” Hunt said in a news release. “I very much enjoy the work I am doing and those with whom I work but I want to retire before too many people start wishing I would.”

Hunt said many people in the courthouse know of his plans to retire, but said he wants to make it official.

Hunt was first elected as a judge after running unopposed in 2004, replacing retiring judge David Draper. He also ran unopposed in 2008 and 2012.

“Being a judge is a great job. It is challenging and full of variety. Every day brings something new,” he said. “That was the main reason I decided to become a judge, and the past 11 years have certainly lived up to that.”

Hunt said he was most proud of his experiences presiding over Lewis County’s Drug Court. While he was initially skeptical about the success of drug courts and other therapeutic courts, Hunt said his experiences have convinced him of the effectiveness of the program.

“It will be difficult to end my active association with drug court, but I am sure my successor will be up to the challenge,” Hunt said.

Hunt plans to travel in his retirement both in the United States and abroad. He is considering opportunities to teach college-level criminal law and procedure courses.

“That would be a new way to keep up with the area of law that interests me the most and to pass on some of the things I have learned to a new generation of criminal justice practitioners,” he said.

Before becoming a judge, Hunt served as a Lewis County deputy prosecuting attorney from 1979 to 1990, when he became the elected Lewis County prosecutor.

He held that position until 1995, when he resigned to take a position as a defense attorney in local law firm Mano and McKerricher.