{"county":"Shelby","description":"","district":"shelby","districtgroup":"county","id":39,"key":"county_circuit_judge_div_3","lastchangeby":null,"name":"Valerie L. Smith","next_election":"2022-11-08","notes":"49","officegroup":"county_circuit_court","partisan":0,"party":"","qualities":"- Trial-court judge of general civil and criminal jurisdiction in a Tennessee circuit court \u2014 presides over jury and bench trials, dispositive motions, and sentencing under TCA.\n- Judicial temperament: the willingness to listen, deliberate, and apply the law dispassionately to people whose lives are deeply affected by the outcome.\n- Impartiality and ethics under the Tennessee Rules of Judicial Conduct, including disqualification when conflicts arise.\n- Working knowledge of the substantive and procedural law applied in the assigned court (cited per court below) and the published precedent that controls.\n- Docket management \u2014 moving cases efficiently while honoring due process and the time pressures that fall on litigants and witnesses.\n- Clear written and oral explanation of rulings, so the parties and the public can follow the reasoning.","quantity":1,"source":null,"state":"TN","term_end":"2030-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01","term_years":8,"terms":[{"current":1,"description":"","electiondate":"2022-08-06","name":"Valerie L. Smith","person":{"biography":"Elected Circuit Court Judge - 2016\n\n\nPrevious Employment\n\n2000-2006- Assistant District Attorney, Shelby County District Attorney\u2019s Office\n\n2006-2016- Nahon, Saharovich, and Trotz, PLC\n\n\nEducation\n\nJD, University of Memphis, 2000\n\nBBA, University of Memphis, 1997\n\n\nHonors\n\nOutstanding Barrister, 2014-15, Leo Bearman, Sr. American Inn of Court\n\n\n\nMemberships\n\nMemphis Bar Association, Board Member\n\nAWA, Judicial Liaison\n\nLeo Bearman, Sr. American Inn of Court, President\n\nTennessee Judicial Conference Executive Committee\n\nTennessee Trial Judges Association, Treasurer\n\nCompensation and Retirement Committee, Treasurer\n\n\n\nCommunity Involvement\n\nAlpha Gamma Delta, Gamma Zeta Academic Excellence Advisor\n\nJunior League of Memphis, Sustainer\n\nSection 901 Youth Athletic Fund\n\nMidtown Rotary Club\n\nUM Law Alumni Board\n\nSpay Memphis\n\nExceptional Foundation of West Tennessee\n\nAdvocacy Chair American Diabetes Association","firstname":"Valerie","lastname":"Smith","middlename":"L.","token":"yRVu5U28b0"},"term_end":"2030-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01"}],"title":"County Circuit Judge Div 3","type":"judicial","url":null,"whenchanged":"2026-04-25 19:49:19"}