VOTE411 Voter Guide

Judges are public servants to the constituents who are elected by the people, paid by taxpayer funds and are accountable for their conduct. A judge should listen with patience and rule with compassion. A Judge should ensure the procedures are transparent and applied consistently to ensure the fair treatment of all who use the court system.

As a parent who has raised children and been through a divorce I understand first hand how emotional and stressful the court system can be on a family. Additionally, I have practiced law as a Family Law practitioner for 27 years representing over a 1000 families to help navigate them through the court system. I personally know first hand the caveats that are embedded within this area of law. My experiences will assist me with the judicial decision-making because those experiences make me committed to impartiality and fair treatment of every person before the court.

In todays political climate I will rely upon my educational training, years of experience and my first hand knowledge that I have acquired after practicing law for 27 years to bring well thought out, logical, fair and unbiased decisions. It will take all of my skills to work to ensure that I earn the respect of the people of Davidson County.

Each case is unique and this court cannot take a once size fits all approach in administering justice. There is a large volume of cases that are heard in this court and finding the time to listen to each family that deserves to be heard will be challenging. Many of the cases before the court are self represented meaning there is not an attorney involved. Helping those families navigate through the court system will take additional resources to get those cases finalized without the need to repeatedly come back to the court.

Every person who enters my courtroom deserves to be heard and treated with dignity, regardless of background, income, or whether they have an attorney. I ensure fair treatment by grounding every decision in the evidence and the law, not in assumptions about what a family should look like or who can afford the better lawyer.

That commitment extends to practical barriers as well. Conducting fair indigency hearings ensures that court costs don't become obstacles to justice, and taking the time to make sure self-represented litigants understand the process means access doesn't end at the courtroom door.

After eighteen years in family law, having served as a hearing officer, an attorney, a mediator, and now as a judge, I've learned that fairness isn't just about the outcome. It's about making sure everyone in the courtroom understands how and why a decision was made. That standard is one I carry into every case, and it's what I believe the public deserves from the bench.

A judge's personal beliefs should never override the law, and mine don't. But I'd be dishonest if I said judges come to the bench without any perspective at all. I believe deeply in treating people with dignity, in protecting children, and in making the justice system accessible to everyone, and those beliefs shape how I run my courtroom.

I take time to explain proceedings in plain language. I ensure self-represented litigants understand the process. I enforce orders of protection swiftly. None of that conflicts with the law. It's applying the law the way it should be applied, with care and fairness, and that's something I'm committed to in every case.

I've spent my career in family law, not politics, and that's shaped how I think about this. The decisions I make affect children's safety, parents' rights, and families' futures, and those decisions must be grounded in law and evidence. When outside pressure exists, my answer is the same as it would be without it: what does the law require, and what does the evidence show? I hold myself to that standard because Nashville families deserve a judge who decides their case on its merits, not on what's popular or politically convenient. That trust is something I will protect every day I'm on the bench.

The top issues facing courts are similar to the issues facing most families, access to the court and the rise of artificial intelligence. Access is about more than filing fees, though those matter. As the cost of litigation has increased, more families are coming to court without attorneys, creating real challenges. People navigating custody, support, and orders of protections without legal representation need a judge who follows the law and makes sure they understand the process. I can also work to keep cases on a timeline and encourage mediation and alternative resolution to reduce the burden on families and the court alike. The second issue is AI. I understand why people use, especially when they can't afford an attorney, but AI-generated filings can contain fabricated citations, misstate laws, and give people false confidence going into proceedings that significantly affect their lives. That's a problem I expect to see more of, and judges need to be prepared to handle it carefully.

A Judges role and responsibility is to ensure that when people come into their courtroom that those people feel confident and assured that they will be heard, not judged and understand that the the Judge will make the best decision for all parties.

Personal beliefs hold no place in the courtroom. Judicial decisions are to be made in accordance with the law. Judges have discretion in interpreting the law and how it should be applied. Applying the law should be done impartially and in the best interest of the parties and not one’s personal beliefs.

The law should be applied with impartiality with the best entry of all parties involved. They should not be influenced by a particular political party and they won’t be with me as Judge.

I think Third Circuit Court needs more community resources, such as clinics to help educate the community on the court process. Also, I think the courts should provide resources, post divorce, and custody matters so that people have an opportunity to adjust to their new normal.