A Father, a Husband, and an Advocate — Guided by Faith and Family
Faith and family have always guided my life and the way I serve others. As an active member of a United Methodist Church, I’ve tried to stay rooted in my faith — not just on Sundays, but in the small, everyday ways it shapes how I treat the people around me.
Over the years, I’ve had the chance to teach confirmation classes for youth, walking alongside students as they asked big questions and made their faith their own. I’ve also served on my church’s Staff-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC), helping support the pastors and staff who pour so much into our congregation.
Music has always been another way I connect to faith. Whether playing the oboe or singing tenor in the choir, I’ve found that worship through music brings people together — reminding us that faith is both deeply personal and beautifully shared.
Through it all, my goal has been to serve faithfully, lead humbly, and keep family and faith at the center of everything I do.
Every case I’ve handled, every client I’ve represented, and every courtroom I’ve stood in has reinforced a truth I now live every day: the law is about people, not paperwork. That belief became even more real when my spouse and I adopted our three children — Lincoln, Mia, and Liza — from the foster care system.
From Foster to Forever
Our family’s journey began not with a plan, but with a calling — to open our home to children who needed love, safety, and consistency. What began as a temporary placement quickly became something deeper. These three bright, resilient kids filled our lives with laughter, energy, and purpose.
On adoption day, I found myself standing in a courtroom not as an attorney, but as a father. Watching a judge declare what our hearts had already known — that we were now a family — was one of the most profound moments of my life. It reminded me that justice isn’t just a principle; it’s a promise that every person deserves belonging, dignity, and fairness.
What This Journey Taught Me
Through the adoption process, I learned lessons that now guide me as both an attorney and a candidate for the bench:
Every person deserves to be heard.
Whether a child in foster care or a litigant in court, listening with compassion is the first step toward justice.
Permanence and stability matter.
Families thrive — and justice is served — when decisions bring real closure and security.
The law must reflect humanity.
Legal expertise means little without empathy and fairness.
What Drives Me
I’m running for the Fifth Court of Appeals because I believe we need judges who understand both the letter and the spirit of the law — who recognize that every ruling impacts real families and real futures. My experience as an attorney and my life as a father have shaped my belief that the courtroom should be a place where integrity, reason, and compassion meet.
Lincoln, Mia, and Liza remind me every day why fairness matters — not just in theory, but in practice. If elected, I will bring that same perspective to the bench: steady, principled, and guided by both the law and the lessons learned from being a dad.