Ashley Moody

Ashley Brooke Moody (born March 28, 1975) is an American attorney and politician serving as the Florida attorney general, since January 2019.

Ashley Moody
38th Attorney General of Florida
Assumed office
January 8, 2019
GovernorRon DeSantis
Preceded byPam Bondi
Judge of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida[1]
In office
January 2, 2007[2] – April 28, 2017
Succeeded byJennifer Gabbard[3]
Personal details
Born (1975-03-28) March 28, 1975
Plant City, Florida, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic (1993–1998)
Republican (1998–present)
Spouse(s)Justin Duralia
Children2
EducationUniversity of Florida (BS, MS, JD)
Stetson University (LLM)
OccupationAttorney

Early life and education

Moody was born in Plant City, Florida, on March 28, 1975.[4] She is the oldest of three children born to Carol and Judge James S. Moody Jr.[5]

Official portrait as 13th Judicial Circuit Court judge

Moody graduated from Plant City High School in 1993.[6] She attended the University of Florida, receiving both her bachelor's degree and master's degree in accounting. While attending the University of Florida, she served as president of Florida Blue Key. Moody earned a Master of Laws in international law from Stetson University College of Law, and her Juris Doctor from the University of Florida School of Law.[7]

Moody interned for Martha Barnett, the president of the American Bar Association,[5] and later joined the law firm Holland & Knight, working in civil litigation.[8]

In January 1998, Moody switched her party affiliation from Democratic to Republican. Upon his election, Florida governor Jeb Bush appointed her to be the student representative on the Board of Regents, a now-defunct body that ran the state’s university system.[4]

Political career

Moody decided to enter criminal law and was appointed an assistant U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Florida.[9] In 2006, Moody was elected to the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, which consisted of Hillsborough County. At age 31, she became the youngest judge elected in Florida.[10]

Moody resigned on April 28, 2017, in order to run for Attorney General of Florida in the 2018 elections.[10][11] She won the Republican Party primary, defeating state representative Frank White, who attacked Moody for originally registering as a Democrat.[12][13] In the general election, Moody faced state representative Sean Shaw. Moody defeated Shaw, receiving 52% of the vote to Shaw's 46%.[14]

She opposes the restoration of voting rights for former felons[15] as well as the legalization of recreational marijuana.[16]

Personal life

Moody is married to Justin Duralia, a Drug Enforcement Administration special agent. They have two sons together. Their eldest son is serving in the United States Army.[17]

References
  1. Ashley B. Moody Profile
  2. https://ballotpedia.org/Ashley_B._Moody
  3. https://floridacountyjudges.com/2017/08/13/governor-scott-appoints-judge-jennifer-x-gabbard-to-the-thirteenth-judicial-circuit-court/
  4. March, William. "Family tradition drives Ashley Moody in attorney general's race". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  5. March, William (October 12, 2018). "Ashley Moody hopes to succeed Pam Bondi as attorney general". Miami Herald. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  6. "Campus notes". The Tampa Tribune. June 19, 1999. p. 6. Retrieved March 15, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Administrative Office of the Courts > Judicial Directory > Ashley B. Moody > Profile". web.archive.org. July 11, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  8. John Henderson (July 6, 2018). "A conversation with AG candidate Ashley Moody - News - Panama City News Herald - Panama City, FL". Newsherald.com. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  9. HENDERSON, JOHN. "A conversation with AG candidate Ashley Moody". Panama City News Herald. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  10. "Carlton: Judge abruptly quits — and is something big to come?". Tampa Bay Times. April 5, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  11. "Former Hillsborough Judge Ashley Moody files to run for Florida Attorney General". Tampa Bay Times. June 2, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  12. "Former Hillsborough judge Ashley Moody wins Republican nomination in attorney general race". 10NEWS. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  13. "GOP candidate for Florida AG wasn't a "lifelong Democrat"". @politifact. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  14. Press, Associated. "Ashley Moody elected Florida's attorney general". www.wctv.tv. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  15. Knowles, Summer (November 1, 2018). "Amendment 4: Restores felons' rights". WESH. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  16. Saunders, Jim. "Legalize marijuana supporters fire back at Florida AG Ashley Moody's objections". sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  17. "Florida Attorney General - Attorney General Ashley Moody Bio". www.myfloridalegal.com. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
Legal offices
Preceded by
Pam Bondi		 Attorney General of Florida
2019–present		 Incumbent
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