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FROM STAFF REPORTS

COLUMBIANA – Shelby County Assistant District Attorney Jody Tallie has declared herself a candidate for the Shelby County District Court when Republicans choose their nominee in the May 24th Republican Primary election.

“I’m excited to put my legal experiences to work for the families of Shelby County,” Tallie said. “I’ll always be fair and honest, and I will walk into the courtroom every day looking to help those who stand before me.”

Tallie grew up in Shelby County and has raised her family here. Mother to three sons, ages 18, 15 and 5, and wife of a Calera Fire Department Captain for almost 25 years. She has watched her children thrive in the very schools she attended in the Shelby County School System.

She has volunteered with PTO at Elvin Hill Elementary and Columbiana Middle Schools, is a band booster to the Pride of Shelby County marching band, proud supporter of both the cross country and track and field teams at Shelby County High School and the Chelsea High School mountain bike team.

Working in both the Shelby County District Attorney and Public Defender offices, Tallie has balanced family with her career.

A graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law in 2000, she currently prosecutes crimes against children, domestic violence cases and other felony personal crimes. She just finished her term as President of the Shelby County Bar Association, where she organized and served at the Wills for Heroes and Feeding Foster Families events.

She serves on the Multidisciplinary Team, Children’s Policy Council, Big Brothers/Big Sisters Advisory Board and the Stepping Up Task Force for Shelby County.

Tallie is a member of the Alabama District Attorney’s Association, served on the Alabama Bar Association’s Alabama Lawyers Care Task Force and was a founding member of the Elder Abuse Task Force for Shelby County.

As a member of the Tri-Cities Outreach Team with Compact 2020, she helped organize parenting conferences and back-to-school events. She has taught child pornography prevention classes to middle and high school students and spoken at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Citizens Academy on child abuse laws.

Tallie is an active supporter of Owens House Child Advocacy Center, participating in 5Ks, toy drives, contribution campaigns and other child abuse prevention events. She has also volunteered at several National Night Out events hosted by the law enforcement agencies of Shelby County.

Tallie has been a member of the First Baptist Church of Columbiana since her early teens and currently serves as chairman of the personnel committee.

As a choir member, she participates in the praise team and dinner theater. Wife of a deacon, she has taught middle school girls’ Acteens (missions) class at FBCC for more than 20 years. She has organized and/or served on several mission trips, sharing the love of Jesus around Shelby County, the Southeastern United States and across the sea, while teaching the younger generation to do the same.

Tallie and her husband co-teach a young adult Sunday school class and she has volunteered in the children’s ministry program for countless years. A member of the Children’s Ministry Team, she has helped with Vacation Bible School, Christmas, Easter and fall festivals, as well as taught children’s Bible study classes.
Tallie has a special place in her heart for Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child ministry and has packed countless shoeboxes and volunteered at both the local level and at the Atlanta packing center for a number of years. She also sponsors a child through Compassion International.

“Our church’s motto is ‘serving God by serving others,’” Tallie said. “I have been a public servant my entire career and look forward to continuing to serve Shelby County’s citizens as District Court Judge. I will treat every person who comes before the bench with respect and will work to maintain law and order.”