Blount Today had excerpts of a public letter from Judge Mike Meares to David Black in response to a personal letter Black previously sent to Meares and also copied to Blount Today.

The full text of Judge Meares' letter is attached [0].

Another excerpt:

I believe in the principles and ideals of our Constitution and our legal system and I will do more than anyone else to bring those high ideas into practice. Almost every day now I read and re-read Canon 2 of the Judicial Code of Conduct and question myself about whether my actions will promote "public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary."

These are the values Blount County citizens and voters should seek in our judges.