The Hon. Wendy J. Sharum is a judge for the Fort Smith Division of the Sebastian County District Court in Arkansas. She was elected to the bench in 2019, filling a vacancy created by the elevation of the Hon. Gunner DeLay to the 12th Judicial Circuit Court.
Prior to her election, Sharum was a deputy public defender for the Sebastian County Public Defender’s Office, a position to which she was named in 1995. During her tenure there, she represented indigent clients in criminal matters before the circuit, district, and juvenile courts.
Sharum earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Hendrix College. She then completed a J.D. at the University of Arkansas School of Law.
Her memberships have included the Arkansas Bar Association and the Sebastian County Bar Association. She has also been involved with the Junior League of Fort Smith, the Sebastian County Juvenile Justice Prevention Coalition, and the Bonneville House Association.