CLAY COUNTY — Ashley Cox is challenging Nancy Cleaveland for a judgeship in the Fourth Judicial Circuit, which comprises Clay, Duval and Nassau counties. 

After graduating with honors from Northwestern University School of Law, Cox served as an assistant state attorney in Jacksonville. Currently, she is an attorney with the Bedell Firm and a guardian ad litem volunteer, representing children who are the subject of abuse or guardianship proceedings.

"I tried to center my career around helping people and representing people when they’re in a crisis," Cox said. "I enjoy working with people and helping them through difficult times." 

As a prosecutor, she envisioned the day she would have the honor of sitting on the bench as a judge, just like her father. 

"I grew up in a legal family. My mom was an attorney, and my dad was an attorney and then a judge."

You could call it the family business. 

Charles Wells, her father, was a former chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court who presided over the monumental Bush v. Gore case. Wells dissented from the Court's 4-3 decision to order a recount. However, that 4-3 decision was overruled when the case was appealed to the Supreme Court, and George W. Bush was ultimately elected president. 

Cox understands the importance of the judge's role in the courtroom. 

"I wanted to run to be a circuit court judge because we have to have intelligent, hardworking, professional, ethical judges on our bench. I know I can fulfill all of those requirements. I know I will serve the community well," she said. 

Cox has a background in community service. Before studying at Northwestern, she joined the Inner-City Teaching Corps and taught on the Southside of Chicago for two years. 

"And it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” she said, adding that servicing an underprivileged environment taught her to be disciplined and organized.

"Being a judge is another element of public service, and that is an area of my life that will always be a part of me," she said. 

Circuit courts are the highest state trial courts in Florida. They handle felonies and major criminal and civil cases. County courts handle misdemeanors and minor criminal and civil cases. 

The circuit judge seat will be on the Aug. 20 primary election ballot. 

Editor's note: Clay Today's repeated request to Nancy Cleaveland's campaign for an interview went unanswered.