Jamaican experience taught judge to treat people fairly

IN JAMAICA, she ran a bar and a trucking company, and from that experience, she told The

Gleaner, she came to appreciate the need to treat people fairly.

“I had the opportunity to deal with all sorts of people – from ‘office types’ to the ‘man in the streets’. This job, in addition to applying the law as written – what we call ‘textualism’ – is all about people; interacting with them and making decisions that have a profound impact on their lives,” she said.

“And so, when I’m making rulings/judgments, I’m mindful of treating everyone the same – with the same human dignity, respect, and fairness across the board that, simply by virtue of being a person, they all deserve. That’s very important to me and is part of my judicial philosophy,” Francis, a devout Christian, continued.

The United States website

Law.com reported that four other county court judges and an assistant federal public defender were also vying for the post awarded to Francis.

She was appointed to the Miami-Dade County Court, Florida, last year.

Francis, 40, received her undergraduate degree from The University of the West Indies, Mona, and her US law degree from Florida Coastal Law School. She is also a past student of the Bridgeport Primary School.