Lauderdale Probate Judge - Meet William Smith/Flag Code?

Lauderdale County voters will have a hard time choosing between the two Republican candidates for probate judge. Today we present a biography of William Smith. Tomorrow, we'll profile Will Motlow.

William Smith is a Republican candidate for Lauderdale County Probate Judge in the Republican Primary on June 5th. Smith is a Florence attorney who has previously served as a Lauderdale County Commissioner and Lauderdale County License Commissioner.  

The Probate Judge in Lauderdale County has three primary functions. First, the judge of probate hears cases on the probating of wills, administration of  estates and guardianship. Also, he hears cases on mental competency and adoptions. 

Second, the Probate Judge is the chief election official in Lauderdale County responsible for ensuring fair elections. Third, the judge runs a large county office responsible for keeping track of property deeds, mortgages, marriage licenses, birth certificates, and other important legal documents. 

William Smith is fully prepared to embrace these responsibilities. “When hearing cases, I will follow the rule of law and treat everyone who comes before me fairly and with respect. I will continue to ensure that Lauderdale County has fair and honest elections. I take the right to vote seriously, and I will fight voter fraud and corruption at every turn.”

William Smith has the skills and management experience to handle the record-keeping aspect of the Probate Judge's office. As License Commissioner, he used software solutions and current technology to cut costs to taxpayers, provide better services to residents, and improve efficiency to transform the office into a 21st-century digital office. 

As Probate Judge, Smith will work to establish a Veterans Treatment Court in Lauderdale County.  Smith said, "Our veterans deserve the best we can provide in medical and mental health treatment. I will work to establish a Veterans Treatment Court in Lauderdale County that can be a model for our state."

William Smith is a proven public servant.  He has demonstrated how to be a good steward of taxpayer money while not raising taxes.  William will support, protect and defend traditional Alabama values.    He is dedicated to honesty, justice and fairness, and will serve with integrity while honoring his Alabama values and strong conservative principles in ruling on cases before him.  William Smith is uniquely qualified to be Lauderdale County Probate Judge because he has the legal experience and real life experience county residents can trust.

William Smith has a proven record which the people of Lauderdale County can trust. As License Commissioner, his guiding principles in making every decision were putting Lauderdale County taxpayers first and determining how residents could be best served. 

As a county commissioner, he worked to double the number of severe weather sirens in the county, pave the parking lots of county schools, increase the number of sheriff’s deputies, help fund volunteer fire departments, and voted against tax increases.

William’s family roots in Lauderdale County date back to the 1820s where family members were early settlers in the Greenhill and Killen communities. A fifth generation Lauderdale County resident, William is a product of the Florence City School System and received both his undergraduate and Masters of Business Administration degrees from the University of North Alabama. 

 Smith received his law degree from Cumberland School of Law of Samford University in Birmingham in 1992.  He is licensed to practice law in Alabama and Georgia, as well as the federal courts.  Smith is a  small business owner and Florence attorney. 

His previous work experience includes working in the family business, on a farm, as a substitute teacher in public schools, and as an adjunct professor of Business Law at both Northwest Shoals Community College and the University of North Alabama.

William Smith is a servant leader serving as president of the University of North Alabama National Alumni Association, Lauderdale County Bar Association, and the Tennessee Valley Historical Society. He is a former vice-president of the University of North Alabama Sportsman’s Club and a forer board member of the YMCA of the Shoals, W.C. Handy Festival, and Rape Response of Northwest Alabama.

Smith has been a member of the Shoals Chamber of Commerce, Rogersville Chamber of Commerce, Florence Rotary Club, and the Lauderdale County Cattlemen’s Association. He served seven years on the Alabama Statewide Health Coordinating Council (SHCC) which writes and maintains the state health plan.

William is currently a board member of the Salvation Army, Lauderdale County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Advisory Board, Elgin Senior Center, and is a Life Member of the NRA. In addition, William Smith has served as an international missions worker, Sunday school teacher and youth basketball coach.

William’s parents are Bill and Christine Smith of Florence. His father was basketball and baseball coach at Deshler High School and Juvenile Probation Officer of Lauderdale County and Attendance Supervisor for the Florence City Schools. William's mother, Christine, was a public school teacher for over 35 years at Blake Elementary, Appleby, Weeden, and Hibbett. 

William and his wife, Laura, reside in Killen with their four year old daughter, Angel Joy.  The Smiths attend First Baptist Church Center Star.

*****

Due to continuing questions about flag etiquette and desecration, we've added a link to our left sidebar. You may clink on it to read the U.S. Flag Code in its entirety. 

We'll point a few things out. We see the term "half mass" being used. The correct term is "half mast." Yet that's correct for only maritime flags, in other words, on or near the water. The correct term for flags on land is "half staff."

The flag code is not long. Section 7(m) addresses half staffed flags. Here is the code in its entirety:

1. The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. On Memorial Day the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff. By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law. In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, or the death of a member of the Armed Forces from any State, territory, or possession who dies while serving on active duty, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff, and the same authority is provided to the Mayor of the District of Columbia with respect to present or former officials of the District of Columbia and members of the Armed Forces from the District of Columbia. The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress. The flag shall be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day. As used in this subsection —
   1. the term "half-staff" means the position of the flag when it is one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff;
   2. the term "executive or military department" means any agency listed under sections 101 and 102 of title 5, United States Code; and
   3. the term "Member of Congress" means a Senator, a Representative, a Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.

In 2008, the U.S. Senate issued a commentary on the Flag Code. According to this commentary, a private citizen may lower his/her flag to half staff to honor the death of anyone (this would include children); however, a public entity may not do so (this would include a school, police station, fire department, or any building paid for with government funds, but there is no legal penalty for flouting the Code). We hope that clears it up for everyone.

*****