Brownwood News – Brownwood attorney Mike Smith has announced his candidacy for judge of the 35th Judicial District Court of Texas in Brown and Mills Counties.
“I am excited to announce my candidacy for the bench that Judge Steve Ellis has served on since 1996. Judge Ellis has publicly stated that he does not plan to run again in 2020, and I have also spoken privately with him to confirm that he plans to retire,” Smith said.
Smith, 47, moved to Brownwood in 1976 when he was 5 years old. He attended public schools in Brownwood and graduated from Brownwood High School in 1990. He earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Abilene Christian University and worked in the children’s mental health field for several years before attending law school. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2009.
Since returning home to Brownwood in 2010 he has worked in private practice with Darrell Haynes and Stephen Haynes. Smith has experience in many areas of the law and has represented clients in both civil and criminal matters. Smith is a member of the State Bar of Texas and is admitted to practice in all Texas state courts and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
Smith and his family are members of the Austin Avenue Church of Christ in Brownwood where he attended as a child and teenager. He is the current president of the Brownwood Education Foundation and enjoys participating in activities to support public education.
Mike’s wife Lindsay is an associate principal at Brownwood High School. They have two children, Lucy and Hank. Lucy is 5 years old and attends pre-K at Woodland Heights Elementary, and Hank is 2 years old.
Smith is a Republican and said that his formal campaign will not begin for several months due to rules about when judicial candidates may solicit and accept campaign contributions. The primary election will be held in March of 2020.
