Woodruff Announces For Circuit Judge

By Staff Report

Posted: December 19, 2009 at 3:54 a.m.

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FAYETTEVILLE — Marsha C. “Marti” Woodruff will seek the Division 5 circuit judge post serving Washington and Madison Counties.

Circuit Judge Mike Mashburn held the seat until he retired earlier this year due to health concerns. Doug Martin was appointed to complete Mashburn’s term, which ends in December 2010.

Woodruff said Friday a variety of factors convinced her to seek the post.

“It was a combination of things, my age and life experiences and length of legal experience,” Woodruff said. “I wanted a change. I’m ready for a new challenge.”

Woodruff, 55, came to Fayetteville in 1971 at age 17 to attend the University of Arkansas and graduated from the School of Law in 1978. She appeared in Arkansas state courts, the Arkansas Supreme Court, the Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission, federal district courts, the Social Security Administration and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis.

“I have tried hundreds of bench and jury trials in my career involving a bit of everything from child custody, contract disputes, car wrecks, adoptions, guardianships, criminal, juvenile, and probate matters,” Woodruff said.

Beth Storey Bryan has also announced plans to run for the open judicial position.

Woodruff and her husband, Ron, are law partners and have lived in the Baldwin Community east of Fayetteville since 1982.

Woodruff taught government and administrative law classes at the University of Arkansas from 1979-1990 and has been active in the Washington County and Arkansas bar associations. In 2002, she received the Distinguished Service Award from the Washington County Bar Association. Woodruff was also a charter director and served three years as a board member and Judge for the Washington County Teen Court.

She was president of the Fayetteville Public Library Foundation from 1999 until after the Blair Library opened in 2006.

She is an ordained elder and active member of First United Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville and holds memberships in several service organizations.

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