Article by:
Naiomi Pitre
Having gained the respect of her peers, colleagues, and every judge that she has appeared before, Fikisha Miller is proud to be able to state that she has never been disciplined by a bar association nor had her actions reversed by a court of law. She is excellent at what she does, and she is considerate and solution-oriented while she’s doing it.
Much of her work ethic and tenacity came from being raised in a strong family full of public servants. Her father is a proud veteran of the United States Air Force. Her uncles were firemen, police officers, and bus drivers.
“My grandmother instilled in all of us that, ‘Whatever you do for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40),” Miller recalls fondly.
From an early age, Fikisha knew that expectations were set high for her, and nothing but her best would be accepted. She has kept this same outlook throughout her impressive legal career as she represented people who may normally be labeled in a negative fashion.
Miller is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts in communications who received her law degree from Tulane University. For eighteen years, she has been practicing law, holding various positions, including prosecutor, criminal defense attorney, judicial commissioner, and solo practitioner. She plans on bringing this wealth of experience with her to the bench as she runs for District Court Judge in Department 19. With her diverse legal background, Miller is more than ready to take on the responsibility that a seat in the judiciary holds.
One mentor that Miller learned the most from was Barry Scheck, the co-founder of the Innocence Project. This is a national non-profit organization that strives to exonerate the wrongfully convicted through DNA testing. They actively work to reform the criminal justice system to prevent systematic injustice. While volunteering on a pro-bono case in New Orleans, Fikisha studied Scheck, who showed her that if a criminal defendant did not come from a family with a wealth of financial resources, it was imperative that their attorney had to be better, stronger, and harder working to even have a chance at justice. It was this information that influenced her to become a Public Defender in order to give her clients an equal shot in the justice system.
As the upcoming 2020 election approaches, Fikisha Miller vows to demonstrate fair, equal, and true justice in her department. She is eager to help the community find alternative resources in cases where mental health medication, drug treatment, or housing may be a helpful deterrent rather than the habitual warehousing of inmates in the penal system where they are later released, resulting in a never-ending cycle of institutionalization.
“Winning this seat would be a validation for what my grandmother taught us long ago. While history will show that certain candidates have felt the need to withhold evidence in order to obtain and collect convictions against innocent people who were later pardoned, I want voters to understand that they have a choice in this election. I have always fought for the people’s rights and defended their innocence against wrongful convictions, and I will continue to be an advocate for justice. This is an opportunity for the public to seize their power. It is time to vote for fair and impartial judges!” Miller implores.
To learn more about Ms. Fikisha Miller, Esq., and to follow her campaign, please visit http://itistimeformiller.com.
