A candidate who sends out a negative mailer in the final days of a campaign does that, so their opponents don’t have enough time to answer to correct those negative misleading attacks before Election Day. That is a political ploy, and it is misleading to the voters of Lincoln Parish. That alone should give every voter pause. So should the poll – its questions weren’t written to find out what people think. They were written to produce a political answer.
There is no time for a mailer, but the Mike Smith campaign has responded to those false issues and negative attacks in publications like the Ruston Leader and the Lincoln Parish Journal.
Full-time is not an issue, since all the candidates have committed to serve full-time as City Judge.
And Mike Smith has said publicly that, before he takes the oath of office, he will transfer his ownership interest in the firm to his wife, Danielle, a licensed Louisiana attorney. That transfer will be a matter of public record, verifiable with the Louisiana Secretary of State. He will not be filing lawsuits, appearing before a jury, or taking depositions or anything else that could create a conflict. Danielle will run and manage the firm and scale the practice to whatever she decides is appropriate.
That is the plan, stated plainly. It allows Mike to serve the citizens of this parish without distraction, and to be available to law enforcement agencies, attorneys, and victims after hours and on weekends as the job requires.
Why did one candidate’s campaign choose to attack the other candidates in the race on a made-up issue?
The reason is simple. On the experience that matters for this bench, he cannot compare to the other candidates in the race.
Which brings us to what this election is actually about.
Everyone knows that all legal experience is not the same.
Every candidate in this race is an attorney, but their backgrounds are different, and practicing law for many years does not mean an attorney has spent those years handling the cases that come before City Court or managing and directing a court docket.
As a prosecutor, Mike is the only candidate in this race who has been responsible for preparing, managing, and directing a high-volume courtroom docket, not simply appearing on one.
There is a significant difference between showing up for individual cases and running the docket itself. Directing a docket is the closest thing there is to presiding over a courtroom, and is an advantage in becoming a Ruston City Judge.
As a prosecutor, when Mike handles a courtroom docket, he represents the State and not any individual.
He is seeking accountability and justice for the citizens of Lincoln Parish.
That duty demands sound judgment, fairness, and discretion every day. It has meant working directly with law enforcement, victims, witnesses, defendants, defense attorneys, judges, and court staff, the same people who walk into City Court every week.
Private civil practice alone cannot replicate that perspective. When it comes to serving as a judge, relevant courtroom experience matters more than the number of years in the legal profession.
Mike Smith’s prosecutorial experience provides a perspective that private civil practice alone cannot replicate.
- Mike has served as an Assistant District Attorney in Lincoln Parish for 12 years.
- A candidate who does not have experience as a prosecutor does not understand that in today’s world, full-time is 24/7, not sitting in an office from 9 to 5.
- Mike has prosecuted misdemeanor, juvenile, and felony matters. He has prosecuted felony jury trials and handled criminal proceedings involving complex evidence and legal issues.
- His work has required him to regularly evaluate evidence, prepare cases, examine witnesses, and understand constitutional protections.
- As a prosecutor, Mike has worked directly with law enforcement, victims, witnesses, defendants, defense attorneys, judges, and court personnel.
- A prosecutor’s ethical responsibility is to seek justice, not merely convictions.
That responsibility requires sound judgment, fairness, and discretion.
Mike has also had the opportunity to serve as acting magistrate in a municipal mayor’s court. A magistrate presides over the mayor’s court to conduct trials and hearings, like a city court judge does in smaller towns.
“Mike’s full-time commitment, command of the law and familiarity with the kind of matters coming before Ruston City Court is documented case by case by and through his service as an Assistant District Attorney. He is prepared for whatever will come before him as Judge of the Ruston City Court — ready to serve, day one, full-time.” Wayne Smith. Retired Judge.
This is a paid advertorial from the Mike Smith for City Judge Campaign.
The above information has been provided by a political campaign. Unless otherwise noted, the Lincoln Parish Journal publishing staff does not endorse specific candidates or ballot measures.
