Is it fair for voters to consider when deciding whether to elect someone as a judge the fact that a candidate ignored a sizeable business bill and let the matter drag through the courts? We think so.

State Rep. Edward Moukawsher of Groton is seeking the Democratic nomination in a special election to fill the vacant probate judge position for the district serving the towns of Groton, Ledyard, Stonington and North Stonington. The primary elections take place June 21 and the special election Aug. 16.

Day news columnist David Collins recently disclosed that Mr. Moukawsher has failed to pay a $7,500 Yellow Pages advertising bill dating to 2004, initially owed to Southern New England Telephone and now to its successor, AT&T.

According to court records, Mr. Moukawsher essentially ignored the bill for years, failing to show up for or respond to court proceedings at which the phone company sought to collect. A real estate lien remains on his home. In August 2006 a judge issued a capias, ordering that court marshals seize Mr. Moukawsher to compel his appearance.

Asked about all this, Mr. Moukawsher said the bill in question dates to his first term in office, beginning in 2002. He said he did not realize how much his law practice would suffer because of the demands of the legislature. With revenues dropping, and facing the big advertising bill, he decided uncontested to let the unpaid debt linger and buy time as the collection process dragged on. As for the capias, he notes it was never acted on. Eventually he will pay the bill, he said.

Mr. Moukawsher contends Mr. Collins "made a big deal about nothing." We strongly disagree. Ignoring the debt and the subsequent lawsuit does not speak well of someone who wants to be a judge or, for that matter, a legislator. Mr. Moukawsher made a calculated decision that disregarding this bill would not hurt him. It now appears that politically speaking, at least, it will - and it should.