Author: Kevin Mark Smith

Everyone who knows me well knows where I stand on the issues, including judicial philosophy. I’m a conservative. I believe in the sanctity of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and a judge’s sacred duty to ensure that these tomes are enforced in the courtroom through well-considered and principled legal analysis and application of the rule of law. It is not a judge’s role to manipulate the law to mean something it was never meant to mean, or mold it like silly putty into conforming with the Constitution when its plain text clearly doesn’t. Boiled down to its essence, this results in litigants knowing what to expect in my courtroom. After eight weeks on the bench in juvenile court, I suspect that the lawyers, defendants and parties who’ve appeared in my courtroom will tell you that the proof is now in the pudding.

Here’s the interesting outcome of my brief time on the bench. Lawyers who consider themselves conservative support my campaign. Also, several moderates and left-leaning lawyers support me, too. Indeed, just the last two weeks more than a dozen more lawyers signed by attorney endorsement letter. Why? Again, it’s about predictability. They know I’ll be fair, unbiased, and predictable. I apply the facts of each case to the law applicable to that case. I don’t legislate from the bench.

If you support conservative judges who apply the law and don’t make it, please consider supporting my campaign to remain the judge in division 12 of the 18th judicial district.