Janice Keeton and the Elephant - Part I

Yes, Janice Keeton has an elephant in her lobby, so we might as well address it, but first a closer look at this candidate for Lauderdale County Circuit Court Judge. We've previously done short bios on both Keeton and her opponent Gil Self, but feel that recent mudslinging (in no way endorsed by Self) needs to be addressed. Janice Keeton has accomplished quite a bit in her life, and she should be commended for it. From Janice herself, per our request:


Lauderdale County has never had a woman elected to the Circuit Court. It is time for change and it is time for the Circuit Court to work for all of the people of Lauderdale County. Cases need to be moved through the court system as expeditiously as possible and not languish in the system for years before being resolved, this is not acceptable.

Everyone deserves to be treated equally and everyone deserves a fair trial. In criminal cases, victims want justice, and defendants want fairness. There should be consistency in sentencing, and I believe that the new sentencing guidelines are working towards that end trying to make sentencing fair across the board.

I was born in Tuscaloosa, AL and lived in Tuscaloosa and Greene County until my parents moved to Muscle Shoals, AL in November 1969. My father, Allen Partrich, who is now deceased, was a mechanic and ran the Union 76 service station in Sheffield, AL until it closed in the mid 1970's and worked as a mechanic until the early 1980's when he had to go on disability due to emphysema. My mother, Kathleen Partrich, at age 75, she'll be 76 November 1, still works full time at Wal-Mart in Muscle Shoals, AL I have two brothers and two sisters. My youngest sister, Leigh Ann Malone, has worked in my law office as my secretary since I became an attorney.

I married Gary N. Keeton, March 7, 1975, and we will be celebrating our 35th Anniversary in 2010. Gary and I have two children, Kenny Keeton, age 31, is a truck driver and skidder and loader operator for Keeton Logging Company, Inc. which is owned by my husband and myself. Kenny is married to his wife Teresa, and he has two step-children, Haley and Jonathan. Our daughter Carrie, age 29, is single, and manages P & K Western Store in Zip City, which has been owned and operated by Gary's parents, Jimmy Keeton, who is deceased, and Barbara Keeton since the 1960's. I come from hard working, small business families on both sides.

Tomorrow: The Elephant; let's cut it down to size.

Shoalanda