DISTRICT JUDGE DIV. 2: Darby Smith

Veteran Shelbyville attorney Darby L. Smith has filed to make another run for District Judge Division III, which serves Shelby, Anderson and Spencer counties.

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Darby Smith is running for district judge.

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Smith, 38, lost this race in 2006 to Donna Dutton, who had filed for re-election.

In that race, Smith finished third in the primary election, about 2,000 votes behind winner David Nutgrass. Dutton, who finished second, overtook Nutgrass in the general election.

Smith said that experience would change the way he campaigns this year.

“I neglected to put the necessary work into my campaign and took some things for granted. I will not make that mistake this time,” he said.

Smith said his decision to seek this judgeship comes from his experience in the courts. “I feel that I have gained the requisite knowledge and skills to be a good judge,” he said. “It’s something that I am passionate about and I know I will be fair, reasonable and efficient.”

Smith, a native of Shelby County, has spent 13 years in private law practice, with offices in Shelbyville and Lawrenceburg, and has extensive experience in real-estate law.

He said he believes his experience in operating his own law office and his numerous cases in district court qualify him for the job. And he also cites his temperament.

“I was born with the temperament for being a judge,” he said in his announcement. “I am neither too idealistic nor too cynical. I am a realist. My decisions are grounded in logic and not fueled by emotion.

“I am punctual, reliable and efficient and always eager to get things moving along. I am decisive and diplomatic. Quite simply, my brain is wired for this position.”

Smith, whose father, W.A. Smith will serve as his treasurer, grew up in eastern Shelby County and graduated from Shelby County High School in 1989.

He has a Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of South Carolina (1993) and a law degree from the University of Kentucky (1996)

He is married to Keshia Tatum Smith of Louisville, and they have four 4 children, Bailey, Tatum, Chloe and Anderson.