Tiesha L Smith
Tiesha L Smith

Name: Tiesha Smith

Party: Democratic

Age: 43

Current residence: Homewood

Current Position: Cook County assistant public defender for seven years and six months

Prior legal experience:

Prosecutor, Chicago Public Schools, one year; associate attorney, Garretson Santora Urgo & Nugent Ltd., one year; attorney, foreclosure mediation, Chicago Legal Clinic, five months

Campaign funds available, July 1 to Dec. 31: $18,466

Campaign funds spent, July 1 to Dec. 31: $8,718.10

Law School: IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, 2006

Campaign website: tieshasmith4judge.com

Family: two sons, Aprice Smith (24) and Amari Smith (12)

Hobbies/interests: Avid reader, bowling, dominoes and playing the card game spades

Have you ever run for office before?

No.

Why should voters support your candidacy?

Voters should support me because I promise that if elected I will treat all litigants who come before me like citizens of our community and with the respect that they deserve. I will be fair and impartial to everyone despite race, social or economic status, because justice should be for all and not some.

What was the most interesting case you handled as a lawyer?

I’ve handled an array of cases from litigating car accidents to serious felony offenses. Each case brought its own unique set of facts which made them all interesting and equally important.

What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?

I’ve had several career accomplishments in my life from winning my first jury trial to being promoted in my current position. Nevertheless, what stands out to me the most is when I was working in the child protection unit as an assistant public defender and I was able to reunite a family after their children were wrongfully taken by the Department of Children and Family Services.

What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?

The qualities I will bring to the bench is honesty, integrity, humility as well as my ability to be fair-minded.