Tuesday, Gail Shaw Barnett filed as a Democratic Party candidate for the position of Justice of the Peace Precinct One in Orange County.   The Justice of the Peace is a trial judge in cases involving certain criminal misdemeanors and in all small claims cases, evictions, and truancies; the office also sets bail, issues arrest and search warrants, determines the cause and manner of deaths; and performs marriage ceremonies.

“The Justice of the Peace is the ‘People’s Court’ judge and makes decisions affecting you and your family’s daily life and matters you care about – death, marriage, eviction, your child’s truancy, whether or not you will be arrested, what amount of bail is posted, whether your driver’s license should be suspended, and whether or not someone has been cruel to an animal,” Ms. Barnett stated. “I’ve been a licensed attorney for over 30 years, including 26 years as a trial attorney and 9 years as a trial judge. That experience will benefit you, the people of Precinct One, because you deserve someone who knows the law and how to apply it fairly, objectively, and compassionately.”

Ms. Barnett is a graduate of the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), where she earned a B.A. degree. She received her law degree (Juris Doctorate) from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University in Houston. In Orange County, she has served as an Assistant County Attorney, sits on the board of the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Orange, and has completed the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Citizen Sheriff’s Academy Training. In Mississippi, she served as a Family Court Judge and County Attorney; in each of these positions, the voters elected her. As Municipal Court Judge Pro Tem, she was appointed to that position by the Board of Alderman for the City of Canton.

Her professional memberships include the State Bar of Texas, Mississippi State Bar, American Judges Association, and The College of the State Bar of Texas.

She and her spouse, Keith Barnett, are members of Mt. Sinai Baptist Church. She is involved as a volunteer in several Orange community organizations, including the Bread of Heaven Outreach Ministry.