It’s news like what came from a Southwest Mississippi courtroom Tuesday that makes law-abiding citizens feel our legal system is full of double standards.

Sixth District Judge Lillie Blackmon Sanders allowed former Wilkinson County Justice Court Clerk Wanda Fountain to walk free, despite video evidence that Fountain had been fixing tickets in return for money, which she pocketed.

Under a quirky legal rule, Sanders accepted an open plea from Fountain, which meant the defendant admitted guilt but didn’t agree to the state’s recommended sentence for her crime. Instead, sentencing was left up entirely to the judge.

Sanders opted to offer no sentence at all, except to say Fountain can’t ever run for public office again.

The “sentence” was only slightly better than the one handed down by an out-of-town judge to the former Adams County circuit clerk who entered a guilty plea on charges of the embezzlement of thousands of taxpayer dollars. He also served no jail time, but was allowed to run for office again.

The situation smelled back then, and it smells just as rotten today.

Do judges feel a responsibility to stick up for those who work in the legal arena alongside them?

It sure looks that way.

But that’s not right.

If the law-abiding public can’t have faith in our legal system to do what is right, the very foundations of our great country begin to crumble.

Of course, the voters get the last say when it comes to local judges.