Patricia Smith (Alabama)

Patricia Smith
Alabama Supreme Court Justice
Assumed office 2004
Circuit Court Judge
In office 1980-2004
Political party	Republican

Patricia "Patti" Mungenast Smith was a judge on the Alabama Supreme Court. She was first elected to a six-year term on the court in 2004. Her last term expired in 2010.

Education

Justice Smith received her undergraduate degree from Troy University. In 1976, Smith graduated from Jones Law School with her J.D.

Professional career

After graduation, Smith joined the firm of Bell, Johnson and Medaris. Soon after, she was hired as the first female Assistant District Attorney for the 18th Judicial Circuit. In 1980, Governor Fob James appointed Smith as the district court judge in Shelby County. She was re-elected as the Presiding District Court Judge in 1986, 1992 and 1998. Smith was elected to the Alabama Supreme Court in 2004. At the time of her tenure, Judge Smith was one of the longest serving judges in the State of Alabama.

Awards and associations

• 2001 National Court Appointed Special Advocation Judge of the Year
• Chairman, Department of Human Resources Policy Review Committee
• Helped to establish the Developing Alabama Youth Foundation, Inc.
• Helped to establish the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs
• Member, Advisory Board to the Alabama Department of Youth Services
• Worked with King's Ranch and Hannah Homes
• Worked with Family Connection, Inc.
• Worked with Shelby County Regional Juvenile Detention Facility

2004 Supreme Court election

On November 2, 2004, Smith beat Roger M. Monroe to win a seat on the Alabama Supreme Court.

For a complete summary of Smith's campaign contributions, go to Follow the Money: Patricia Smith.

Candidate	Incumbent	Seat	Party	Election %
Patricia Smith A	No	Place 2	Republican	59.9%
Roger M. Monroe	No	Place 2	Democratic	40%
Pam Baschab	No	Place 2	Republican

Supreme Court rules Alabama Bar can't reprimand judge

The Alabama Supreme Court ruled that the Alabama State Bar Association couldn't discipline Circuit Judge Stuart DuBose for inappropriate actions he made prior to becoming a judge. The high court ruled 5-4 that any disciplinary action by the state organization that represents Alabama's lawyers would have to wait until DuBose is no longer a judge. Concurring on the question were Justices Harold Frend See, Jr., Thomas Woodall, Lyn Stuart, Tom Parker and Michael Bolin. The ruling does not apply to charges pending against DuBose before the Court of the Judiciary. The Judicial Inquiry Commission brought a 60-count complaint against DuBose for ethical misconduct that does include the matter that the bar association was looking into. DuBose argued after he took office that the bar association no longer had jurisdiction since he was now a judge and no longer an attorney in private practice. The majority of the Supreme Court justices agreed but Justice Champ Lyons, Jr. of Mobile writing for the four justices who dissented said, "Treating the rule as preventing the State Bar from disciplining a judge for conduct that occurred before taking office gives the judge an unwarranted immunity." Others dissenting included Justices Patricia Smith and Glenn Murdock and Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb.

External links

• Alabama Judicial System
• Members of the Court

Footnotes

Alabama courts

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Federal courts:

Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Alabama, Middle District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Alabama, Middle District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama

State courts:

Alabama Supreme Court • Alabama Court of Civil Appeals • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals • Alabama Circuit Courts • Alabama District Courts • Alabama Juvenile Courts • Alabama Municipal Courts • Alabama Probate Courts • Alabama Small Claims Courts

State resources:

Courts in Alabama • Alabama judicial elections • Judicial selection in Alabama