Debra Jones
Republican | Alabama
Candidate Profile*
Proven Originalist
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Debra Jones
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
Primary
Race
Supreme Court, Place 5
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Cumberland School of Law, Birmingham, Juris doctorate, 1989
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
New Hope Ministries International, Minister
Calhoun County Republican Executive Committee, Member
Cheaha Republican Women, Member
Cleburne County Republican party, Member
Calhoun Cleburne Children’s Advocacy Center, Founder and Board Member 1992-1994
Calhoun County Bar Association, Member
Alabama State Bar Association, Member
Alabama Circuit Judges’ Association, Member
Alabama District Attorneys’ Association, Member 1990-1994
Alabama Criminal Lawyers’ Association, Member 1994-2010
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Circuit Judge, 2010-present
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
ENDORSEMENTS*
CONSERVATIVE (3)
*Alabama Republican Assembly; *Common Sense Campaign; *Stand For Health Freedom
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (3)
Alabama Republican Assembly; Common Sense Campaign ; Bamacarry
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
State Republican Party Organizations (2022)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
Judge Debra Jones has served as a Circuit Court judge since 2011.
From Her Campaign Website:
- Judge Jones' introduction section states that she is a "Constitutional Conservative Republican." It explains, "For too long now we have seen activist Judges mischaracterize, misuse, and ignore the [C]onstitution of the United States and the State Constitution of Alabama. Judge Jones will never legislate from the bench and will always serve fairly, morally, and impartially. Judge Jones has overseen numerous cases including capital murder, rape, child sexual abuse, medical malpractice and wrongful death. Judicial experience should matter, and with Judge Jones on the Supreme Court, experience will never be in question."
- Under an "Our Alabama Values" section, the website states that Judge Jones is:
- Pro-Life-- "I've spent my entire life supporting and fighting for those who cannot speak for themselves. A baby is a precious gift of life. We must do everything we can to stand up and protect their lives."
- Pro-Gun--"The gun-grabbing liberals will stop at nothing in their efforts to seize lawfully owned firearms from law-abiding American citizens. I'll stand firm and enforce the second amendment as its written-- not as the liberals 'interpret' it."
- Pro-Law Enforcement and Military--"Our men and women in uniform are under attack by the radical leftist and ANTIFA anarchists. I'll never back down and I'll never bow to the pressure of any police-hating organization."
- Conservative Republican--"I'm a life-long Christian Conservative. I'm an Alabamian educated by Alabamians. Our values are under attack and I'm ready and willing to protect them on the bench."
- In her "About" section, Judge Jones said, "It's no secret where I stand on the issues. I'm a Conservative Christian Republican and I'll never back down from my values and beliefs. I'm a pro-life, pro-God, and pro-gun Alabamian. My life in Alabama has taught me that Washington D.C. elitists, radical liberals, socialists, and criminals will all stop at nothing to force us to compromise our values, our stances, and our beliefs. But I'll never back down. I've spent my career on the bench putting criminals behind bars and bringing justice to victims. My agenda is clear: Follow the United States and Alabama Constitutions. I'll follow and enforce the law fairly, equally, and judiciously. I'll never bow to political pressure and I will always follow the letter of the law with the intent our founding fathers had in mind when they wrote the great documents by which we live."
QUESTIONNAIRE
JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY
Justices should not interpret the federal and state constitutions as living documents, but should use a textualist and originalist approach to interpretation.
Strongly Agree
I agree wholeheartedly and I have always done so.
What is the proper use of legislative history in interpreting statutory law?
A court must look to the intent of the legislature when interpreting a statute. It is not what the Court thinks but what the legislature intended.
Which current or past U.S. Supreme Court justice best reflects your judicial philosophy?
Clarence Thomas and Anton Scalia
How should a court address the balance between public health and individual freedoms in the time of a pandemic?
The Court should not allow the government to infringe on the individual rights of citizens. Overreach is stopped by the judicial branch of government. The election laws should have been enforced by the Courts. I disagree with the Courts that allowed election laws to be changed in the middle of the election by those other than the State legislatures.
In light of the case Bostock v. Clayton County, in which the U.S. Supreme Court interpreted the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include a prohibition on sexual-orientation discrimination, which justice’s opinion most closely aligns with your own opinion?
I do not agree that gender should have been extended to include transgender. Transgender is not a gender. I am disappointed in the conservative jurists.
What role (if any) does a judge have in maintaining the separation of church and state?
None
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Strongly Agree
The first amendment does not prohibit religion! The first amendment protects religion!
When should a judge overturn past court decisions?
Courts should overturn past court decisions when knowledge is available to have the Court reach a different decision. For example, modern science can tell us when life exists in the womb from the technology which gives us the sound of a heartbeat. Courts can overturn themselves when they find they were in error under the law. For example, the schools were segregated and the issue went before the Alabama Supreme Court almost nine times before the Court decided it was wrong and reversed itself and ordered desegregation.
How should a judge determine which rights are protected by the Constitution even though they are not specifically mentioned?
The Courts should strictly construe the Constitution and not create rights that do not exist.
What legal principles should a court consider when evaluating parents’ objection to their child obtaining medical procedures or drugs designed to affirm the child’s desired gender?
Alabama law prohibits the use of drugs to affirm a desired gender. Children are not capable of making such an irreparable decision to their health. The parents have a right to raise their children without government interference. Parenting is not the role of government. The first amendment gives parents the right to raise their children as they believe they should.
What principles should guide a court’s analysis of whether your state’s constitution gives terminally ill patients a right to assisted suicide?
Alabama law values life! There are not any laws to allow a patient to have assisted suicide. We have the most unique wrongful death statute in the country. In Alabama all life is valued equally regardless of education or income. Alabama leads the nation in our laws that protect all life and the life of the unborn.
Would you describe your judicial philosophy as originalist, living constitutionalist, or something else?
Originalist
ABOUT YOU
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
I have 32 years of courtroom experience as a prosecutor, attorney, and a Circuit Judge. I have tried around 50 jury trials as a prosecutor and as an attorney, thousands of non-jury trials, and many appeals. As a judge I have presided over 76 jury trials, disposed of 18,000 felonies and thousands of civil cases. I have prosecuted, defended, and presided over capital murder cases. I have presided over complex medical malpractice wrongful death cases. In addition to my actual experience in the courtroom, I have degrees from Cumberland School of Law and The University of Alabama.
Why should the voters choose you?
I bring 32 years of actual courtroom experience to the Supreme Court. I am a Judge. I make decisions and interpret the law everyday. The Supreme Court judges all of the judges in the 67 counties. There are not any trials at the Supreme Court level. There are only appeals from the lower courts. The Court judges the judges. There is not a requirement to be a judge to serve on the Supreme Court. However, I would benefit the Court, which judges the judges, because I am a judge. I make those difficult decisions everyday.
I voted in these primaries and general elections:
2012 Republican Primary 2012 General Election 2014 Republican Primary 2014 General Election 2016 Republican Primary 2016 General Election 2018 Republican Primary 2018 General Election 2020 Republican Primary 2020 General Election
Every vote counts. It is our civic duty to vote. I was elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2016. This is my re-election year. I am not running for re-election because I am running for the open seat on the Alabama Supreme Court. The justice in this seat is retiring. I humbly ask for your vote.
VALUES
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
We should teach our children to love their neighbor as themselves. We are not racist and neither are our institutions or our government. Our law says all men are created equal and that is the only principle that should be taught.
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality that is necessary for our system of limited government.
Strongly Agree
God gives us our rights not government. The 10th amendment grants the federal government those rights not enumerated to the State.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am living proof that the Lord Jesus is the son of God who willingly died for my sins on the cross, was buried, and rose again on the third day and is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. I believe He gave us the Holy Spirit who leads and guides us on Earth. I know He lives because He lives in me. I believe Jesus shall return. I believe those who believe in Him shall have eternal life with Him. I live my life to influence others to know the love of the Savior.
What types of pro bono work have you done?
During my four years as a prosecutor I served many people who were victims of crime. I wrote the felony DUI law and the Sexual Torture Law. I started the Children’s Advocacy Center. As an attorney, I held recovery classes and parenting classes in my office. I held Bible Studies weekly in my office. I started Mercy House, a faith based domestic violence shelter for women and children. I had a Bible teaching television program. I represented many people who could not afford to pay in family court and criminal court.
