Alabama Criminal Court of Appeals Place 2

J. Elizabeth “Beth” Kellum (I)

Party: Republican

Residence: Montgomery area

Political experience: Elected to the Court of Criminal Appeals in 2008. She worked as a congressional intern for Rep. Walter Flowers in Washington, D.C., in 1978.

Professional experience: Began work in 1985 as an assistant attorney general in the criminal appeals division; staff attorney for the Court of Criminal Appeals, 1987-1990; private practice with the Montgomery law firm of Robison & Belser; began in 1997 as a senior staff attorney for Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Jean Brown; senior staff attorney for the Alabama Supreme Court, 1999- 2001; senior staff attorney for Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Kelli Wise beginning in 2001.

Civic experience: Has served as a docent at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts; member of Landmarks Foundation of Montgomery along with a number of professional, civic and political organizations.

Education: Undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Alabama — a bachelor’s of arts cum laude in May 1981, and a juris doctorate in May 1984. As an undergraduate, she majored in political science and minored in history; Brookwood High School in 1977.

Main issues: “Judge Beth Kellum follows a conservative judicial philosophy,” according to her web site. “She believes that judges should follow the law, not make the law. She does not believe in judicial activism, but instead believes that the role of judges is to interpret the law as written.”

Kellum also vows to be an advocate for children and the elderly, approach cases without preconceptions and render fair and unbiased rulings in accordance with the law.

Contributors: Kellum has raised $86,300 this year. Top contributors:

$30,000

ProgressPAC, Montgomery.

$22,071

FarmPAC, Montgomery.

$5,000

CanPAC, Montgomery.

$4,500

Automobile Dealers Association of Alabama, Montgomery.

$4,000

BIPAC, Montgomery.

Progress for Justice PAC, Montgomery.