Biography
I was born into the loving home of my parents William Everett Maxwell and Lois Jane Maxwell, July 24, 1954. I started my life on a small farm near Midland, Michigan where we raised wheat, corn, sugar beets and lots of cows, pigs and chickens. My two older brothers and I spent many wonderful times on that farm until my father was told we had to move into Midland because he was a full time city policeman in that city. My family continued to farm that farm and others for many more years while also working in law enforcement. My father was elected to the position of Sheriff of Midland County, Michigan when I was only 5 and was highly respected for cleaning up the corruption that had infiltrated our community through the pressures of organized crime.
I graduated at the top of my class of 685 at Herbert Henry Dow High School as a member of the National Honor Society, Debate Team captain, soloist with the High School Choir and first chair violinist in the city orchestra. I loved being a volunteer swimming coach for local disabled children, participating in the local drama productions and was active in my church youth ministry. I considered briefly pursuing my love of the piano and singing as a career path in college after being offered scholarships in both categories to several fine universities but chose however to follow my academic scholarships into the field of science and medicine.
I attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas on scholarship working through the honors program there for my Bachelor of Science degree in biology/pre-medical. I was mentored by the well respected endocrinologist, Dr. William Money, who directed my research efforts in the field of endocrinology and toxicology with a four year scholarship grant from Dow Chemical. I met my husband-to-be the second week I was at the University and can attest to the fact there is love at first sight, or at least first date.
I obtained a second Bachelor of Science degree from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas in 1980 in the field of medical technology. I graduated with honors from this program and obtained my national certification while working as a medical technologist. I also married my husband, Wayde Robertson, who was working as an electrical engineer for Penn Athletics in Jonesboro and finishing his Masters in Business Administration at Arkansas State University at the same time.
With my oldest brother’s encouragement and my husband’s blessings I was admitted to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law School in 1981 and spent the next three years living during the week in Little Rock and driving home every weekend to be with my husband. I was scholastically honored with several top paper awards in Commercial Paper, Criminal Procedure, Contracts and Federal Jurisdiction. I was chosen to publish a scholarly article called a Note in the UALR Law Journal analyzing a United States Supreme Court ruling in criminal procedure on the adoption of the Total Exhaustion Rule for mixed Writs of Habeas Corpus. I remained on the Law Journal as first the Assistant Articles Editor and then the Articles Editor where I was honored to edit an article written by the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, the Honorable William Rehnquist. I wrote additional law journal reviews on case law related to constitutional law and real property law. The faculty of the UALR Law School honored me with an award for being the Outstanding Senior Law Student as well as being the recipient of the Corpus Juris Secundum Award for scholarship. I graduated 3rd in my class with honors and went into private solo practice in Jonesboro, Arkansas in 1984.
I have maintained a law practice for more than 28 years in Jonesboro, Arkansas but have tried cases in state courts all around Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee as well as federal courts in Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Indiana and Michigan. Most of my legal work is performed for individuals and small businesses but I have also been employed by national corporations and banks during certain periods over the last 28 years. Because I have been a solo practitioner for most of my 28 years I have acquired extensive knowledge in many areas of the law including: Agricultural issues, Adoptions, Banking, Business formation and counseling, Contract creation/interpretation, Criminal Misdemeanor defense, Divorce and Custody cases, Estate planning, Immigration matters, Guardianships, Personal injury and Wrongful death cases, Product liability cases, Probate work, Real Estate and title work, Workers Compensation cases and Social Security cases. I have also prepared appeal briefs to both the Arkansas Court of Appeals and the Arkansas Supreme Court both as the appellant and the appellee.
For the last 8 years I have had a full time private practice but I have also been a part-time District Court Magistrate with my main duties covering small claims and civil cases. I have also on multiple occasions, substituted for the full time district judge handling criminal misdemeanor trials and felony probable cause hearings as his scheduled required. My work as a judge has yielded a new perspective on the trial process, one that has made me a better trial attorney and given me a deeper understanding of the law itself.
I graduated at the top of my class of 685 at Herbert Henry Dow High School as a member of the National Honor Society, Debate Team captain, soloist with the High School Choir and first chair violinist in the city orchestra. I loved being a volunteer swimming coach for local disabled children, participating in the local drama productions and was active in my church youth ministry. I considered briefly pursuing my love of the piano and singing as a career path in college after being offered scholarships in both categories to several fine universities but chose however to follow my academic scholarships into the field of science and medicine.
I attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas on scholarship working through the honors program there for my Bachelor of Science degree in biology/pre-medical. I was mentored by the well respected endocrinologist, Dr. William Money, who directed my research efforts in the field of endocrinology and toxicology with a four year scholarship grant from Dow Chemical. I met my husband-to-be the second week I was at the University and can attest to the fact there is love at first sight, or at least first date.
I obtained a second Bachelor of Science degree from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas in 1980 in the field of medical technology. I graduated with honors from this program and obtained my national certification while working as a medical technologist. I also married my husband, Wayde Robertson, who was working as an electrical engineer for Penn Athletics in Jonesboro and finishing his Masters in Business Administration at Arkansas State University at the same time.
With my oldest brother’s encouragement and my husband’s blessings I was admitted to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law School in 1981 and spent the next three years living during the week in Little Rock and driving home every weekend to be with my husband. I was scholastically honored with several top paper awards in Commercial Paper, Criminal Procedure, Contracts and Federal Jurisdiction. I was chosen to publish a scholarly article called a Note in the UALR Law Journal analyzing a United States Supreme Court ruling in criminal procedure on the adoption of the Total Exhaustion Rule for mixed Writs of Habeas Corpus. I remained on the Law Journal as first the Assistant Articles Editor and then the Articles Editor where I was honored to edit an article written by the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, the Honorable William Rehnquist. I wrote additional law journal reviews on case law related to constitutional law and real property law. The faculty of the UALR Law School honored me with an award for being the Outstanding Senior Law Student as well as being the recipient of the Corpus Juris Secundum Award for scholarship. I graduated 3rd in my class with honors and went into private solo practice in Jonesboro, Arkansas in 1984.
I have maintained a law practice for more than 28 years in Jonesboro, Arkansas but have tried cases in state courts all around Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee as well as federal courts in Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Indiana and Michigan. Most of my legal work is performed for individuals and small businesses but I have also been employed by national corporations and banks during certain periods over the last 28 years. Because I have been a solo practitioner for most of my 28 years I have acquired extensive knowledge in many areas of the law including: Agricultural issues, Adoptions, Banking, Business formation and counseling, Contract creation/interpretation, Criminal Misdemeanor defense, Divorce and Custody cases, Estate planning, Immigration matters, Guardianships, Personal injury and Wrongful death cases, Product liability cases, Probate work, Real Estate and title work, Workers Compensation cases and Social Security cases. I have also prepared appeal briefs to both the Arkansas Court of Appeals and the Arkansas Supreme Court both as the appellant and the appellee.
For the last 8 years I have had a full time private practice but I have also been a part-time District Court Magistrate with my main duties covering small claims and civil cases. I have also on multiple occasions, substituted for the full time district judge handling criminal misdemeanor trials and felony probable cause hearings as his scheduled required. My work as a judge has yielded a new perspective on the trial process, one that has made me a better trial attorney and given me a deeper understanding of the law itself.