Jennifer Hendricks is ready to get started as one of Daviess County’s next Family Court judges. Hendricks will work with Angela Thompson, who was elected to the newly created second Family Court seat. Hendricks said the election of both women is a “win” for the families of the community.
Hendricks received a total of 13,985 votes in Tuesday’s General Election, while her opponent Thomas Vallandingham earned 11,022 votes. The seat is officially called the 6th Judicial Circuit, Family Division 3.
Hendricks has been a solo practitioner for the majority of her career, creating her own business from the ground up. She said that her experiences have prepared her for the role of Family Court Judge.
“This is a great win for my family and me. Also a great win for Daviess County and families of Daviess County,” Hendricks said. “For the first time, we will have two full-time sitting judges that have practiced family court primarily. This is a big night and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Hendricks said she’s ready to work and excited to figure out the schedule and ultimately wants to focus on ensuring the court does not extend late into the evening. She previously said the Family Court position is vitally important and can’t be taken lightly.
“You are dealing with a lot of families and children at some of their most vulnerable times,” she said previously. “So in that position, you really have to focus on what is in the best interest of Daviess County and the families.”
Hendricks ultimately credits her win to her longstanding involvement in the community, dating back to her time at Kentucky Wesleyan College.
“I think I’m no stranger to this community,” she said. “I’ve been a part of numerous community boards and activities and I didn’t just start doing these things before the election, I’ve been doing this since I moved back to Owensboro.”
Hendricks is originally from Muhlenberg County, where she went to Muhlenberg North High School before the schools consolidated. She did undergraduate studies at Kentucky Wesleyan College before going to Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School. She later went to law school in Melbourne, Australia, and the University of Canterbury School of Law in New Zealand.
She finally settled in Owensboro and has been here since around 2010, and is now raising a family here.
