Moritz announces for district judge

By submitted, 01/31/24 9:57 AM

LITTLE ROCK – Hope attorney and native Ashley Tolleson Moritz has officially filed for, and is now a candidate for, the District 38 judgeship that encompasses Hempstead and Nevada counties. Ashley recently announced her candidacy and will approach the non-partisan race as she has everything in her career—with hard work, skill and tenacity.
“It’s my goal to be the fourth generation of the Martindale family to serve the people of Hempstead and Nevada counties.” Moritz says, “I want to follow my great-grandfather, Dr. Jim Martindale, my grandfather, Dr. Jud Martindale, and my mother, Nancy Martindale Finley, who taught public school in Hope for more than 30 years.”
Ashley joined the Arkansas Bar in 2010, following her graduation from the Bowen Law School at the University of Arkansas. She grew up in Hope and was valedictorian of the Hope High School class of 1994. She attended Hendrix College and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and psychology in 1998. While studying for her Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, Bowen School of Law, she completed an externship working for Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Jim Gunter, the former Circuit Judge for Hempstead and Nevada counties. For over the last decade, Ashley has attended specialized training twice a year, specifically in the area of dependency neglect and domestic relations issues. She has worked with area providers for mental health and substance abuse issues and had the opportunity to be trained by state and national experts in these matters.
“Having represented our local families in dependency neglect cases for over a decade I often found myself both honored and humbled to sit at the table with families experiencing their most vulnerable and difficult moments. I feel true compassion for the daily struggles that so many of our neighbors, so many of the people we all see every day, experience mostly in private. As district judge, I hope to utilize my training and experience to help address the underlying factors of misdemeanor cases that may have social implications and assist those who need help in finding the services to address these underlying issues. When someone has access to assistance and a motivation to take advantage of these services, not only can it improve that person’s life, it also helps to protect our community.”
Ashley’s mother, Nancy Finley, credits her late husband, Dr. Mike Finley, with challenging her to run for office, “For years, Mike was urging Ashley to take this step and run for judge. Shortly before he passed away, he heard that (former District Judge) Tony Yocom was retiring and told her that it was important for her to run in this next election and that our community needed her compassion and experience to help people understand the law and find justice. She listened. And we’re all very proud of her.”
Ashley is licensed to practice law in the State of Arkansas as well as the 8th Circuit of the United States District Courts. In addition to her private practice, she has been certified by the Administrative Office of the Courts for more than a decade to represent parties in the Juvenile Division of Circuit Court. Ashley also continues to serve as the Waldo City Attorney, and Prosecutor for District Court in Waldo, a position that she has held for more than six years.
Ashley is the proud mother of four children and one grandson. She and her husband, Billy, live in Hope, across the street from the home where she was raised.