VOTE411 Voter Guide

I am qualified to be re-elected judge of Harris Co. Civil Court at Law No. 2 because I have 34 years of experience as a lawyer in this court. As judge I have tried thousands of bench trials and hundreds of jury trials. The Houston Bar Association's current Judicial poll rated me as the top county civil court at law judge with 84% of respondents rating me as excellent or very good overall. This poll rating is important because it is from the lawyers that practice in this particular court. I was rated on categories such as follow the law, rules decisively and timely, is courteous, demonstrates impartiality, uses attorneys' time efficiently, and works hard and is prepared. My campaign slogan is "Life isn't fair, but your judge should be."

The two most pressing issues are dealing with the high volume of cases and ensuring equal access to justice for all litigants. The county civil courts at law are low dollar, high volume courts that handle cases under $325,000 and appeals from the 16 justice of the peace courts. Last year my colleagues and I were able to create a 5th court and this will help with backlogs. I currently have a 103% clearance rate so I exceed state goals. Use of case management systems and early dispute resolution services help alleviate backlogs. We can improve equal access to the court by using clear, plain language on our notices and leveraging technology such as Zoom to provide remote hearings for those who can't take off work or travel to court.

I have been a licensed attorney for over 14 years and have been a public servant with the Texas Attorney General for a number of years. I have experience in various areas of law and believe that knowledge base allows for me to be the ideal candidate for this office. I have handled different levels of civil matters included but not limited to personal injury cases, probate, and family law matters. I currently have my own law practice dedicated to helping everyday Texans resolve their legal issues.

1) Access to justice and court inefficiency.

Specific plan: As a judge, I can promote docket efficiency while ensuring fairness and clarity in proceedings. This includes running a courtroom that is organized, timely, and accessible; clearly explaining procedures; ensuring self-represented litigants understand their rights; and enforcing rules evenly. Providing readily available literature and resources in the courtroom to ensure people have the knowledge of what information is out there in a public domain that they can utilize to hopefully obtain legal assistance.