Occupation
Judge, 191st District Court
Education
B.A - Texas Tech University; J.D.- SMU School of Law
Campaign Phone
2146731124
I practiced business litigation before I was elected in 2006. In nineteen years as a judge, I have presided over hundreds of jury trials and thousands of hearings. I continue to challenge myself every day to learn new things about the law. Over the course of some very difficult and lengthy trials, I have learned best practices to take the trial run both smoothly and fairly for all involved - the jurors, the parties and the attorneys.
I have always focused on the facts that are admitted into evidence and the law as set out by the Texas Legislature and the Texas appellate courts. Focusing on the facts and the law and having a consistent, guiding principle that those considerations are what a judge must rely on in making rulings is the determining force in remaining impartial and free from any outside pressures.
The first step is public education and awareness, including explaining how a lawsuit is filed and served and why someone should do if they are served with a lawsuit. The second step is making sure that all underserved or unrepresented persons are aware of the resources available, including the civil law library, legal aid and possibly clinics run by the nearby law schools. The last step is to use normal, non-legalistic words to explain to a person what the process of a lawsuit is and what is occurring at each step in the process.
The courts are currently in a crisis of a lack of confidence by the American public. Judges must continue to made decisions based on the faces and the evidence and be very clear to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest or being swayed by influential people or political considerations.
I ran nineteen years ago because I believed that every person in Dallas County has the right to be treated fairly and equally in our courts. Decisions should not be made based on friendships, influence or political considerations. Every person has the right to come down to the courthouse and to explain their side of the story.
Occupation
Attorney
Education
JD (with honors), The University of Texas School of Law (May 1993); BBA, UT Austin (1990)
Campaign Phone
214-228-7534
I am an attorney practicing for 32 years in courts like the 191st. I began my career as a briefing attorney for the Court of Appeals in Houston. Since then, my practice has been primarily focused on litigation in state and federal courts. In my career, I have represented a wide range of clients - from individuals, to small businesses to large, publicly traded companies – on a a wide range of subject matters. I was also the Democratic nominee for House District 108 in 2022 and 2024 which gave me a fresh perspective on the rule of law and its importance to our democracy.
I am proud to have support from attorneys with a wide range of practices. My conversations with them have had very little to do with substantive rulings and more to do with efficiency and timeliness. In order to avoid the appearance of impropriety, limits on donations and disclosure of all donations is key to avoiding the appearance of impropriety. While these limits are not perfect, if we are electing judges they must have a way to fund a campaign. Litigants concerned about the appearance of impropriety may seek to have a judge recused relying on an unreasonable or excessive contribution.
The efficient management of cases with clear communication about expectations, allows for more cost-effective litigation and reduces the likelihood decreased access due to background, race, gender and sexual orientation. Clear communication includes court policy and procedures that include a written non-discrimination policy and a system for raising concerns about obstacles to access to the Court and the District Clerk. Clear communication includes making a list of resources available to litigants with financial constraints and encouraging pro-bono representation from members of the bar.
Our courts are under attack starting with the independence of the judiciary. Recent legislation placed more control over our courts in the hands of the governor and less input by voters, the Bar and the public. Our judiciary must demonstrate that it can adjudicate cases efficiently, without outside influence and uphold the rule of law. Our courts must be doing the work efficiently and fairly to assure the public has confidence in the courts. On a very basic level this means doing the work in a timely manner, in a way that litigants and the public feel seen and heard.
I believe in the rule of law in resolving disputes and not raw power. Litigants have a right to have their cases heard and decided in a fair a fair and efficient way. My legal philosophy regarding civil trial courts is that a judge should, in a timely manner, administer a procedurally correct trial so that a litigant's story may be shared in a way that facts can be accurately determined and the law applied to those facts.
