McComb attorney David M. Strong Jr. has added his name to thelist of candidates in this year’s area judicial races.

Strong has qualified for 14th District circuit court judge,place 2, a position presently held by Mike Smith. The district,which is served by two judges, includes Lincoln, Pike and Walthallcounties.

Strong said the position of judge has always appealed to him andhe recently decided to pursue it.

“It’s a job I always thought I might be interested in,” he said.”At this particular time, I thought the timing was right.”

Strong said he was very familiar with the demands of the court,its policies and procedures.

“The vast majority of my law practice has been in circuitcourt,” he said.

Other candidates this year include 14th District Circuit CourtJudge Mike Taylor, for place one, and incumbent 15th DistrictChancery Court Judge Edward E. Patten Jr. of Hazlehurst. The 15thChancery Court District serves Lincoln and Copiah counties.

Smith has not announced his intentions regarding re-election.May 5 is the deadline to qualify with the Secretary of State’soffice for the non-partisan contests in November.

Judicial elections will be conducted differently this year thanprevious years due to a change in state law. This election willoffer voters the opportunity to select one candidate for eachposition, or place, instead of all candidates running in a group,or “herd,” as in past contests. In the herd system, the top twovote-getters won the offices.

Strong grew up in the Lincoln County area and has practiced lawin McComb since 1993.

Strong received his undergraduate degree from Millsaps Collegein 1990 and his Juris Doctor from the University of MississippiSchool of Law in 1993.

After admission to the Mississippi Bar, Strong was employed byMagnolia attorney Wayne Dowdy and, later, Gary Honea. He has been asolo practitioner and practiced with William E. Goodwin since1995.

Strong served with the Pike County Public Defender’s Office from1995 to 2001.

He has served as president of the Southwest Mississippi BarAssociation and is an elected member of the Mississippi State Boardof Bar Commissioners.

Strong and his wife, the former Alison Boyd, have been marriedfor 10 years and have two children, William, 8, and Whitney, 4.