LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – In four weeks, voters will return to the polls to elect a judge for the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal.

Candidate Vanessa Anseman is out of the race because voters forced a runoff between the two other candidates in this past Saturday’s primary.

The election for the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals drew a lot of attention.

Especially when a court found Anseman unqualified to run. That ruling was overturned.

Now the standing candidates move on once again

The Acadiana Women’s Symphony League hosted its major fundraiser: the Mad Hatter’s luncheon.

In the crowd is where we caught up with Candidate Susan Theall.

“I’ve probably shaken 6-10 thousand hands in the last two months.  It’s just been wonderful. People in south Louisiana appreciate meeting someone who is running for office because it gives them an opportunity to see who they really are,” Theall said.

Theall comes to the table with 31 years of legal experience.

She says she’s been in the trenches in court and prepared cases and served as a judge for Lafayette, Vermilion, and Acadia Parishes.

“You have to be impartial.  You have to look at the law.  You have to look at the facts and render a judgement without being afraid of public criticism. You have to do the right thing,” Theall said.

Candyce Perret still has her hat in the ring with nearly 20 years of practicing law.

She says she’s humbled and honored to be chosen as the front-runner going into the runoff.

“I’m just going to keep working hard getting out meeting as many voters as possible and visiting each of the 8 parishes as often as possible,” Perret said.

Perret says her legal experience is diverse. She’s worked in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals as a senior law clerk for several years, served as a city prosecutor, and had her own practice.

“It’s important to have handled as many different kinds of cases that I have cause the courts don’t get to choose which types of cases it hears. You have to be prepared to hear all cases that come before the court,” Perret said.