Jay Martin
Non-Partisan | Arkansas
Candidate Profile
Insufficient Information
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Jay Martin
Party
Non-Partisan
Election Year
2024
Election
Primary
Race
Supreme Court, Chief Justice - Position 1
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Candidate did not provide
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
OTHER INFORMATION
Jay Martin (D) is a practicing attorney and the President of Wallace, Martin, Duke, & Russel, P.L.L.C. Martin ran as a Democratic in Arkansas' 2020 gubernatorial race. Martin also ran for lieutenant governor in 2006. [apnews.com] From 2003 to 2006, Martin served in the Arkansas House of Representatives. [ballotpedia]
Martin is a Christian and a volunteer pastor in Little Rock, Arkansas, and is married to Dr. Dawn Martin and has three children. Martin founded Amelia B. Ives Housing Projects, "an inner-city ministry" in 1997, where he serves as a pastor. [wmdrlaw.com]
From his Campaign for Governor:
- Martin stated, “I am pro-life, and I value all life from conception to death. I support the second amendment, the Constitution and all the enumerated rights in the Bill of Rights,” “And although my beliefs put me at odds with some of my colleagues, I was able to form the first-ever bipartisan committee of Democrats and Republicans who worked on important legislation.”
- Martin stated, “I am born again, spirit-filled follower of Jesus Christ, and I value the bible as my guide for living. I am pro-life, and I value all life from conception to death. I am a husband, a father, and the guardian of my mentally ill father... I support the 2nd Amendment, the Constitution, and all the enumerated rights in the Bill of Rights. Our rights are irrevocable because they come from God, not from the government. I am a Christian minister answering my call to public service.”
- Martin said, “I am running to provide a voice to those Arkansas who stopped voting democratic candidates because national democrats do not reflect Arkansas values. My values are shaped by Arkansas, not a political party. I am running to provide a voice for Arkansas, who feel neither national party represents Arkansas values. And I am running for Senior Arkansas and their loved ones who are concerned about the future healthcare for seniors in Arkansas.”
- Question: Why are you running for Chief Justice?
- "I have practiced law for 27 years. I've led my law firm since 2006 as a managing partner, and I enjoy that. I'm also a volunteer pastor in the inner city, and I have a family, a wife, kids, and things I love, but I'm concerned about our country. I'm concerned about our state. I'm really concerned about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and I think the Chief Justice is a perfect role to represent the Arkansas Judicial Branch."
- Question: Tell me why you think you're more qualified than any of the three sitting Supreme Court justices?
- "Well, they have a lot of experience as an appellate judge. They certainly have experience that I don't have in that position, but none of them have served as Chief Justice. I don't know if any of them have been administrators. I've led a small business. I made payroll every month. I've had employees. I have the administrative abilities to lead as chief justice and the legal background that helps me be a good appellate judge. I think leadership is what distinguishes me from the others. Being that outsider who has been in the community and has come into the court."
- Martin said, "I have an attorney's mind and a pastor or servant's heart, and I think the next leader needs to be a servant leader who can lead folks."
- Question: What threat are you referring to regarding the Constitution?
- Regarding the Arkansas State Constitution, Martin stated, "...the executive branch has courts instead of the judicial branch. There are executive branch judges and executive branch prosecutors, and regular people are going into those courts. I have a problem with that. . . . But on the federal system, I've heard there are hearings on Capitol Hill going on right now where Catholics are being investigated because of their beliefs. I am concerned about religious liberty. I am concerned about the First Amendment of the Federal Constitution. I think sitting as Chief Justice, we're going to have to look at every statute of the state and make sure they don't violate the State or Federal Constitution. And we're going to have to make sure we have an outsider who is making sure it is functioning constitutionally."
- Martin stated, "I've never tried to be a career justice on the court. I think we need an outsider just as Justice Kemp has been because I think that's important for the court, the new blood hopefully in a new direction and to do things that would be helpful and beneficial to the people of Arkansas[.]."
- "I'm concerned about access to courts. More and more people are representing themselves. I'm concerned about the pro bono hours that attorneys provide. I think Arkansas could lead the country in providing those hours. I'm concerned about our rural courts. I want to lead the way in hopefully making all of our courts in every county safe," said Martin.
- Question: What can the chief justice do about safety within the court?
- "The chief justice can work with the legislature and go advocate for our courts. A lot of our rural courts and courthouses do not have adequate protection for the court. They don't even have bailiffs sometimes. They don't even have law clerks.... We've got to have an advocate to make sure that all 75 counties have a courthouse that is safe....I think that has got to be addressed."
From Instagram:
- “We are incredibly saddened by the satanic evil that occurred in Uvalde, Texas at Robb Elementary. Words cannot describe my sadness for these precious little lives that had God-given destinies to live out, only to have those destinies silenced by unleashed evil. Make no mistake, there is right and wrong, good and evil, God and the devil-we are in the midst of a spiritual battle over our world, our country and our State that can only be described in these terms. Jesus put it in plain terms: "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10. We whose agenda we will support-there is no neutral ground. It is not the time to make political statements, but to pray for these victims' families. For any politician, whether he is a candidate for governor of a State or anyone else to use this incident to proclaim the need to take more liberties away from citizens is appalling. We must have a genuine conversation about protecting our children and protecting our gun rights, which are sacred and constitutional.” (posted May 26, 2022)
- "With all the problems in our public schools it seems incredulous that a man of faith, Coach Joe Kennedy of Washington State, was fired for praying to God is an attorney and Constitutional defender, it is the First Amendment that protects folks like Coach Kennedy. We prayed before each legislative session. As a State Representative and Majority Leader, I got to pray in the well of the House chamber always in Jesus’ name. (Although I was criticized for it.)” (posted April 27, 2022)
- "As a defender of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, I am obviously committed to one of its core rights, free speech. We have to protect all speech, except for illegal speech and the categories of illegal speech are well defined...” (posted April 19, 2022)
Other information
- Martin "has been critical of the justice system’s handling of Donald Trump’s multiple indictments, saying officials in power are prosecuting the former president over political differences." [arkansasadvocate.com]
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Was Dobbs v. Jackson rightly decided according to the text of the Constitution? Please explain.
Did not answer
I support a right to accelerate ending a human life.
Did not answer
Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
Did not answer
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States.
Did not answer
VALUES
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
Did not answer
What is your view of parental rights regarding the upbringing of children, specifically education and sexual "identity"?
Did not answer
I support "gender identity" as a specially protected class. Please explain.
Did not answer
What do you believe to be true about the human condition?
Did not answer
EQUALITY
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT).
Did not answer
ABOUT YOU
What, if any, church or organizations do you belong to?
Did not answer
I voted in these primaries and general elections:
Did not answer
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
Did not answer
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
Did not answer
Would you describe your judicial philosophy as originalist, living constitutionalist, or something else? Please explain.
Did not answer
JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY
Which current or past U.S. Supreme Court justice best reflects your judicial philosophy?
Did not answer
Is there a separation of church and state in the Constitution? Please explain.
Did not answer
Should courts address threats to religious liberty in the United States? If so, how?
Did not answer
Was Obergefell v. Hodges rightly decided according to the text of the Constitution? Please explain.
Did not answer
Was Bostock v. Clayton County rightly decided under the law? Please explain.
Did not answer
I agree that “the custody, care and nurture of the child reside first in the parents, whose primary function and freedom include preparation for obligations the state can neither supply nor hinder.” (Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57, 65-66 (2000); quoting Prince v. Massachusetts, 321 U.S. 158, 166 (1944).
Did not answer
What should a judge do when legislative texts and court precedents dictate different results?
Did not answer
When should a judge overturn past court decisions?
Did not answer
When, if ever, should a judge take popular opinion or the social views of the majority into consideration?
Did not answer
Do you believe the meaning of the Constitution changes over time, absent changes through the amendment process of Article V?
Did not answer
What do you believe is the single most important quality a judge should possess?
Did not answer
If you are an incumbent judge, describe a recent instance in which you acted to preserve your judicial independence. If you are an aspiring judge, how do you plan to remain independent if elected to the bench?
Did not answer
2ND AMENDMENT
The right to bear arms is fundamental and must be protected.
Did not answer
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Which branch of government do you believe was intended to wield the most authority?
Did not answer
How should the court address public health and individual freedoms in the time of a public health emergency?
Did not answer
