Nancy Kennedy is excited to announce her candidacy for Judge of Criminal District Court Number 2 in Dallas County. Ms. Kennedy has been practicing law since 2001, initially as a prosecutor and then as a criminal defense attorney throughout Texas. Not only does Ms. Kennedy bring valuable trial experience to the bench but also experience from practicing in appellate courts. She has practiced in both state and federal court and is licensed by the State of Texas and the Northern, Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas.
As a prosecutor, Ms. Kennedy was responsible for cases from intake through the appellate process. This included everything from drafting charging documents, pretrial preparation, trials and oral arguments. Ms. Kennedy prosecuted both criminal and juvenile cases and handled mental health commitments.
Ms. Kennedy started her own legal practice in 2005 specializing in criminal defense. Since then, she has represented clients in courts throughout the State in both trials and appeals along with applications for writs of habeas corpus. She has also represented clients in federal district courts in Texas and beyond.
In 2010, Ms. Kennedy became Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Only about ten percent of all attorneys in the State of Texas are board certified. Ms. Kennedy has been selected by her peers as a Rising Star in Texas Monthly magazine in the area of criminal defense every year since 2008.
Ms. Kennedy graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in English and worked as a legal recruiter for the former Dallas law firm of Hughes and Luce, LLP from 1997 to 1998. In 1998, she enrolled at Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, working her way through law school and graduating in 2001. During law school, Ms. Kennedy received the Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility Fellowship along with the Martin Samuelsohn Fellowship. During law school, Ms. Kennedy volunteered at the Housing Crisis Center and participated in the Criminal Justice Clinic as both a staff attorney and chief counsel and was a member of the Computer Law Review now known as the Science and Technology Journal. She also taught Trial Advocacy at the law school as an adjunct professor in 2007 and 2008.
Ms. Kennedy was born in Dallas and currently resides near White Rock Lake. She volunteered with the Red Cross during hurricane Katrina and is also active in her church. She has been married almost 10 years to Clint Broden and they have two children, Harper and Sawyer.
Ms. Kennedy’s trial experience on both sides of the aisle, her continued pursuit of legal education with her Board Certification, her practice of appellate work, along with her commitment to service make her the most qualified candidate for Judge of Criminal District Court 2. She looks forward to your support in the Democratic primary on March 1, 2016
