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TOP JOBS

By CASEY KNAUPP
Staff Writer

Tyler attorney Christi Kennedy won the 114th District judgeship in the Smith County Republican primary Tuesday night.

Complete, but unofficial returns showed Mrs. Kennedy with 10,699 votes, or 54.2 percent, to Alan Brown's 9,041 votes, or 45.8 percent.

The two civil attorneys vied to fill the position that will be vacated Jan. 1, 2009, by Judge Cynthia Stevens Kent, who will retire after more than 20 years on the bench.

No Democrats campaigned for the post so the judgeship was decided in the primaries.

Mrs. Kennedy said she was thrilled with the voter turnout in the Republican primary in Smith County and said she couldn't believe more than 21,000 people voted in it.

The 51-year-old said she was honored and humbled by the outpouring of volunteer support she received.

"I'm just really thrilled," she said. "I think I'll do a great job ... I'm looking forward to being Smith County's next judge."

Brown did not immediately return phone messages for comment Tuesday night.

Mrs. Kennedy has said she respected Judge Kent's service on the bench and pledged to continue the dedication to public service. She said she would serve the position with scholarship, integrity and hard work. She said a judge should be fair, firm and committed while upholding the law.

Mrs. Kennedy has handled virtually every type of case in civil law, but primarily defends the government, such as law enforcement officers who are wrongly accused, she said.

Mrs. Kennedy, a licensed attorney since 1993, has worked at the Potter Minton Law Firm. She also worked as a briefing attorney to the justices of the 12th Court of Appeals in Tyler before joining the Flowers Davis Law Firm in Tyler eight years ago. She graduated from Louisiana State University and Baylor University School of Law. She has volunteered in the community and is a member of several organizations. Mrs. Kennedy has been married to Richard Kennedy for 10 years and they are active in the First Presbyterian Church.

Brown, 54, has said he has extensive trial experience, primarily defending civil defendants in injury cases.

Brown attended public schools in Jacksonville and Kilgore Junior College. He received his bachelor's degree and law degree from Baylor University.

Brown clerked for the late U.S. District Judge William Steger, and has worked at the law firms Ramey & Flock; Colley & Ewert; and Potter Minton. In 2001, Brown and Paul Boyd began the Boyd & Brown firm. Brown is a former president of the Smith County Bar Association and the Smith County Bar Foundation. He and his wife, Jeanetta, have three children and are active in the First Baptist Church.