As Lawrence County’s new prosecutor, Brigham Anderson will likely spend as much time fighting false perceptions as he does criminals.

Anderson was sworn in earlier this month and took over the office he has worked in as an assistant for several years.

It has been an eventful couple of weeks as he has already been asked to issue an opinion on a rift between the county commissioners and the sheriff’s office — one that is certainly a hot political issue — and may also have to decide how to handle a pending case domestic violence against a commissioner.

Things certainly won’t get easier for Anderson’s office with one murder case on the horizon and with crime seeming to be on the upswing.

But perhaps the biggest challenge will be for Anderson to dispel the perception that justice cannot be had in Lawrence County.

This has been a misconception for years but many within the community and beyond have tried to point to the county as proof the “good old boy” system is alive and well.

But Anderson has the opportunity — and also the ability — to overcome this. How? By being fair to everyone, handling every case the same, being transparent and doing everything possible to ensure justice is achieved.

If he does this, Brigham Anderson will win the fight against criminals and false stereotypes.