Fresno County Superior Court Judge, Office 12
A superior court judge presides over a state-level trial court, acting as the primary judicial officer in both civil and criminal cases. They oversee legal proceedings, evaluate evidence and testimony, ensure adherence to laws, and make final decisions or instruct juries to do so. Judges are elected to six-year terms.
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Miles Harris
(NON)
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Jennifer L. Smith
(NON)
What background, experience and/or education qualify you for this office? (You may use your candidate statement here if desired.)
What is working well in Fresno County courts? What needs improvement?
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Ballot Designation
Deputy District Attorney
Candidate's Political Party
Non partisan
As a lifelong prosecutor, community member, and youth advocate, I have the experience and temperament to serve as Judge. I was born and raised in Fresno County, the daughter of Dr. Noel Smith and Gloria Smith and Dr. Katherine H. Smith. I spent time involved with the family business, Sterling & Smith Funeral Home and gained valuable knowledge of how family businesses are run. I graduated from San Joaquin Memorial High School and Fresno City College. I also graduated from Cal State University, Long Beach and received my Juris Doctor degree from Western State University, College of Law in Southern California. After graduation, I was sworn in as a Deputy District Attorney with the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, where I served for nearly three decades. From 2017 to 2020 I was honored to serve as a Judge Pro Tem in Fresno County Superior Court.
I am currently a Senior Deputy District Attorney.
I remain active in the community serving as a board member and past president of the Fresno County Office of Education Foundation and serve on several boards supporting youth and education.
I am also a licensed California Real Estate Broker.
I am proud to have the endorsement of District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp and Jerry Dyer. More endorsements can be found at my website, jennifersmith4judge.com.
The courts have improved security over the years with bag checks and perimeter patrols of the courthouses. This has provided a measure of security needed for the area.
Case management has also improved over the years to keep track of where a case is on the calendar.
What needs improvement may be a feasibility assessment, if any, of staffing needs for the courts. Fresno county’s growth may require more support for the courts to function more efficiently.
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