Thrilled to participate in Regent Law Review symposium!

Posted on by Kevin Mark Smith

My law school, Regent University School of Law, flew 0E97B25B-B20D-4A54-82B5-21BC1415A6EBme to Virginia last weekend to participate in a panel on technology and its impact on the practice of law. Also at the symposium and on a different panel was a fellow class of ‘99 graduate and law review alumnus Shawn Tuma, who presented on various high tech security issues. Although the information shared by the panelists was terrific, the most memorable part for me was reconnecting with my friend and seeing the campus after almost 18 years.

99A67F64-1889-4115-913E-E6EF4EA93320I love Regent. The school’s mantra, Christian Leadership to Change the World, is what compelled me to attend law school so far away from home—that and the potential opportunity to clerk with the ACLJ, which happened. While many secular law schools are struggling to maintain enrollment and are sacrificing quality of students and with that bar passage rates to stay afloat, Regent has refused to sacrifice its standards just for money. Yet, last year Regent admitted 70 new students, this year more than 90, and its Virginia Bar passage rate exceeds 80 percent in one of the nation’s toughest jurisdictions. It’s gradually increasing enrollment while other schools are still struggling.

I met several law review members. Suffice to say they are brilliant and I’m proud to call them future Regent alumnus. Thanks to Hannah Hempstead for her work putting the symposium together. What an amazing time of spiritual rejuvenation. Getting back to Regent reminded me why I went to law school in the first place. The Law is a calling, and I’m blessed to serve as a Christian lawyer and now judge.

Tomorrow is the day!

Posted on by Kevin Mark Smith

imageJust in case I draw an opponent tomorrow, thanks to the dozens of Catholics and Evangelicals who have volunteered to hit the ground running in my campaign in the event someone files against me tomorrow. Please  check this site and my campaign FB page tomorrow mid-afternoon for an update. I have thousands of door hangers, brochures, and business cards ready to pass out immediately so we can start knocking on doors and spreading the word this Saturday. I will order yard signs tomorrow evening so will have those ready to pass out next week. Think about some high traffic areas that will be good locations.

Although several conservative groups are supporting me, I’m not taking anything for granted and will focus on face-to-face campaigning. Lots of knocking on doors and parades, that sort of thing. Please send me an email at kevin4judge@gmail.com with updated contact info (name, address, phone numbers) too. I plan on a BBQ for volunteers in the next week or so to discuss strategy and the contact info will give me a quick way to reach you via text messaging or phone calls.

Remember my mantra, “Integrity. Experience. Respect.” I’ve spent my career fighting for my clients, including unborn children, churches, and families, and believe that being a judge is the next opportunity to make a difference for all citizens in Sedgwick County not just my clients. We need conservative judges with diverse backgrounds representing clients in the courtroom before judges and juries and not just behind their desks. My almost 17 years of jury trial, bench trial, and litigation experience has prepared me to continue serving Sedgwick County in this capacity. I hope you agree.

Stay tuned…

Hon. Kevin M. Smith

No prejudging in this judge’s courtroom!

Posted on by Kevin Mark Smith

Judges must not make up their minds before trial. Without sharing details, I’ve experienced this immutable truth more than once the past few months. No one wants a judge who makes up his mind before the facts are on the record. Thank God and the founding fathers for our Constitution. They make a principled, strict constructionist judge’s job much easier.

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Going well so far…

Posted on by Kevin Mark Smith

I’ve been on the bench for more than three months now. I committed to being a fair and unbiased judge when I first filed for division 24 and continued with this attitude after Gov. Brownback appointed me to division 12. It sounds like common sense, but my years practicing law in many counties in federal, state, and municipal courts informed me that this isn’t always what you get. I was confident I could follow through with this promise since I had a diversity of legal practice experiences that few judicial candidates have. I’m happy to report that after three months and a week, there is no chance I will deviate from this commitment. Three months isn’t much time, but I’ve already had a few of those frustrating cases that sometimes turn judges callous to the sacred duty they have to uphold the Constitution and am pleased to say that I never hesitated to make the right decision.

imageOur judicial system has its flaws, but when the bench is occupied by men and women committed to the principles on which this nation was founded, it is unquestionably the best in the world. I encourage you to take this time to read the Bill of Rights. This is what should inform all judges and lawyers who practice law every day, as well as the people who find themselves on one side or the other of legal disputes.

If you’d like to support my campaign to retain my position in division 12, please send me an email at kevin4judge@gmail.com. Financial contributions can be sent to the attention of Richard Peckham, Treasurer, in check or money order to “Kevin M. Smith for Judge,” 1502 N. Broadway, Wichita, KS 67214.

Blessings,

Kevin M. Smith

 

Thoughts on judicial philosophy…

Posted on by 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.

imageHere’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.