ENDORSEMENTS
Kent & Tamala Bridge
We have worked multiple cases with Jenna Brown for more than a decade. She is one of the most reasonable and fair attorneys that we’ve ever had the pleasure of dealing with in our combined forty seven years of being lawyers. Jenna is smart, hard working, and likable. She is the most impartial attorney we have ever worked with as lawyers. She cares about the victim, the defendant and all of the parties involved on every case she works on. She treats our clients like they are human beings and not just case files. She cares about the victims in the cases, their families, and doing what is in their best interests to see that justice is served. She is dedicated and kind. Jenna Brown would be a wonderful addition to the judiciary.
Sincerely,
Attorneys at Law Bridge & Bridge Law
Josh Lambert
I recently noticed what I believed to be criminal activity being conducted in a house next door to mine. After working with the police for several weeks, I started to get frustrated. I didn’t know where they were on their investigation, and it seemed like nothing was being done to eliminate the problem.
That’s when I reached out to Jenna to help me understand my rights as a homeowner. She walked me through the process of reporting the issue and staying on top of it. She even went as far as to reach out to her contacts to see if they had any further information for me. I immediately felt a sense of relief for my family and my neighbors. One week later the problem was corrected. Jenna went above and beyond for us and I will be forever grateful. Our neighborhood is now safer than it’s ever been.
I'm wishing you the best in your run for judge!
Will Brown
I've known Jenna for quite some time, and honestly, she's one of the most caring and reliable lawyers I've ever had the pleasure of working with. She's unbelievably kind and considerate and was able to provide EXACTLY what I needed when I needed it.
It feels like it's so easy to get lost in the legal world, you have all these devastating problems and feel like just another number to these people you're paying an arm and a leg to. Jenna's not like that. She went above and beyond and kept my mind at ease the whole time.
I can really and truly say I felt taken care of and couldn't be more grateful!
Barbara Sevier
When my eighteen-month-old daughter crossed her arms and planted her feet firmly on the floor with determination to have her way, the word steadfast probably wasn’t the first word to enter my mind. In retrospect, maybe it should have been because that toddler’s behavior grew into a steadfastness that is an admirable trait of Jenna Brown.
The art and skill of being a lawyer are things she learned, but her passion for the judiciary is as steadfast as any element of her life and the origin of it is a bit of a mystery to me.
One time Jenna told me that seeing anyone disrespecting ‘The Robe’ in a courtroom made her feel physically ill. There is no studying or developing her opinion of any judge….or the decorum of any courtroom; for her it is a given fact that a courtroom is the cathedral where reason and principles reign supreme and send small ripples that begin to heal the injustices that are with us all. For her, there is no debate about the process of the judiciary. That passion is Jenna’s gift.
Socrates described the qualities of a good judge:
“Four things belong to a judge:
To hear courteously;
to answer wisely;
to consider soberly;
and to decide impartially.”
I believe Jenna practices these things now as a prosecutor and as an advocate for victims she works with in her private practice. She will do these things steadfastly as an associate district judge. I am certain of her dedication to being courteous, wise, sober, and impartial. I am certain of her ability to use that dedication for a cause far greater than herself.
Jenna is totally sincere and quite capable of “doing the right thing.”
Nick O'Shaughnessy
A vote for Jenna Brown is a vote for a judge that is dedicated to serving her community with the utmost integrity. As Jenna Brown’s son, I can speak to her dedication and integrity. She approaches being a mother with the same dedication and integrity that she has applied throughout her professional career. Dedication and integrity are paramount to being a judge. As a judge, she will use these qualities to serve her community and make a positive impact.
The value of integrity was instilled in me by my mother at a young age. She did so
mostly by example, emphasizing to me that it is important to always do the right thing, even if nobody is watching. I’ll never forget attending the OBF 2015 Criminal Section Conference to watch my mom accept an award for 2015 Prosecutor of the Year. Nominated by the opposing counsel for a previous trial she worked, she was awarded this distinguished honor for her integrity. I think that was the moment that really solidified everything she had taught me in my life about integrity and I often find myself thinking about that moment even to this day.
The value of dedication was also something I learned from the example my mom set. She was always a dedicated mother to me. She provided a great life for me and ensured that I always had the resources and tools I needed to be successful. She did so while working a full-time job with DHS (Department of Human Services) and going to law school at night, all as a single mother. This shows dedication to her family as well as dedication to the law. I didn’t really understand the ramifications of what she was going through when I was younger, but when I got older, I often asked her what made her want to go to law school when she already had so much going on. She would always tell me the decision was fueled by a desire to serve her community and make a positive impact on the world.
Oklahoma Bar Association
Criminal Law Section
1901 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK
Re: Nomination of Jenna Brown for Prosecutor of the Year
Dear Mr. Wilds and Committee members:
My name is Jacquelyn Ford and I am a criminal defense attorney in Oklahoma City. I have been practicing criminal defense for 9 years both as an Assistant Public Defender in Oklahoma County for 5 years and in private practice for the last 4 years. It is my honor and pleasure to nominate Jenna Brown for Prosecutor of the Year. Ms. Brown has dedicated her legal career to serving her community as a prosecutor since 2002, as an Assistant District Attorney in Jackson County, Oklahoma, and the Ninth Judicial Circuit in Orlando, Florida before returning to Oklahoma in 2009.
Today, Jenna Brown is an Assistant District Attorney for Canadian County and handles what I consider the most difficult docket for prosecutors. She prosecutes domestic violence cases. I have had the pleasure of working with Jenna for the past three years in a professional capacity and although we often times disagree on cases; she has always been the most professional and respectful prosecutor to deal with. I strongly believe the most difficult cases to prosecute and to defend are DV cases. These cases tend to be the more difficult sometimes to prosecute than defend. These types of cases represent a special set of problems for prosecutors and the alleged victims are often times incredibly difficult to work with. The primary concerns I know prosecutors share when dealing with domestic violence cases is the sincere desire to truly help the victim. It places the prosecutor in a role more like that a defense attorney because the victim is almost like a client.
I have personally observed Jenna Brown be the strong voice for the women when they could not summon that courageous voice for themselves. I have seen her empower women in ways that only she can, she helps them stand up for themselves, she helps them prepare for testimony and finally gives them the opportunity to take back their own personal dignity. She exhibits all the characteristics we would want in a victim’s advocate.
This past year I represented a gentleman in CF-14-638 who was charged with Assault and Battery with a Deadly Weapon and Domestic Abuse in the Presence of a Minor. My client’s wife accused him of stabbing her some twenty-plus times. She had lacerations all over her body and told a very horrific story of terror and abuse. My client maintained his innocence and was unwilling to enter a plea of any kind.
A preliminary hearing was conducted and by this time, Ms. Brown knew that she had yet another incredibly difficult witness. Her story had changed on a number of occasions and she had failed to appear for some unrelated court dates, her behavior was erratic and bizarre and was making quite a mess out of Jenna’s case. It was becoming more and more difficult for Jenna to prosecute because the accuser was nearly impossible to work with. Jenna believed her story and she prosecuted the case to her best ability. It is important to note that I was completely convinced this case was nothing more than a woman scorned and she was out for complete revenge. I fully believed in my client’s actual, factual, and legal innocence.
As a defense lawyer, my truly innocent clients are those that make me lose the most sleep and they are the tough cases when the stakes are this high. My client was facing life in prison. He is a combat veteran who suffered from a diagnosis of PTSD, who was struggling in his return to civilian life. This information of course cut both ways, it made him an easy mark for a woman looking to hurt him, but it also gave a great motive or reason as to why a man would turn on the mother of his children in a fit of rage.
During my cross-examination I had a number of things to work with, which is rather uncommon in these cases. But, Jenna being the professional that she is, had met with and spoken to her witness on a number of occasions and prepared her very well for the hearing. Omitting all the sordid details, the hearing was an absolute train wreck, riddled with problems and drama; however, the judge bound my client over for trial.
A few weeks later at formal arraignment, Ms. Brown asked me to join her in her office so that she could share some information with me. It was at that time that Jenna did the most honorable thing; she told me that she had spoken with her victim in this case and she confirmed that the witness had been untruthful during her testimony at preliminary hearing. She tried to rehabilitate the witness to ensure that she would not continue to lie or twist the truth. Jenna still believed in her and still felt compelled to help her and to empower her to stand up against her abuser.
However, based on her conversation with the witness, she knew that she could no longer move forward prosecuting my client. She told me the information that had been testified to, that she knew beyond all doubt was not true. I would have never had the ability to learn of this dishonesty. It could have easily been kept from me and likely never discovered. Ms. Brown was honest and forthcoming with this information and even though she was still confident in her case and her ability to convict my client at trial, she did the truly honorable and ethical thing: she dismissed the charges.
The sense I perceived from Ms. Brown was that subordination of perjury was not something that her charter could or would tolerate, regardless of the seriousness of the crime and the likelihood of victory. Jenna Brown took the high-road and vindicated the system irrespective of her personal feelings, a characteristic all prosecutors should possess, but we know in reality all do not possess. Because of her, I have a renewed sense of respect for my fellow adversaries. I know that Ms. Brown struggled with the decision and it was very difficult for her to let my client go when she believed he had stabbed this woman some twenty times. Had she not done the right and ethical thing, I believe there was a decent chance that my innocent client could be serving a very hefty prison sentence.
After the case was over, litigation between my client and his wife continues even today in family court. I still maintain that he was falsely accused and that justice was served in the criminal matter.
I will always remember the conversation we had in Jenna’s office and I will always be thankful for her honesty, professionalism and dedication to her ethical duties. I look forward to working with her every chance I get because I know that my client and I will both be treated fairly, professionally and with honesty. It is my pleasure and honor to nominate my friend and colleague, Ms. Jenna Brown, for the award of Prosecutor of the Year.
Respectfully Submitted,
s/ Jacquelyn L. Ford
Thomas Griesedieck
"I have practiced law with Jenna for almost ten years. Although our interactions in the courtroom were as "adversaries", she has always been courteous, reasonable, and willing to listen.
She would bring the same qualities that she uses daily as a prosecutor: compassion, open-mindedness and patience, to the bench. Jenna Brown would be an outstanding judge for Blaine County."
Terri Lanning
I have known Jenna for over 40 years now!!! She has always been there for me if I needed her!!! Jenna has always been very trustworthy and straight forward. She is a hard worker and goes above and beyond for what is right. Jenna is strong and knowledgeable in the work she does. Whatever the job may be, Jenna will always get the job done right!!!
Kendra Campbell
Jenna is a wonderful person; she is loyal, and I know that she would be an awesome Judge!
