VOTE411 Voter Guide

Justice delayed is justice denied. In order to ensure that cases are resolved fairly and efficiently, I would require the timely disclosure of discovery to the defense and enforce reasonable timelines for pretrial matters. Cases are often not resolved in a prompt, affordable way because the trial judge commits reversible error during trial and the case has to be retried. That means the accused has to wait even longer for a fair trial, the victim may have to undergo the ordeal of testifying a second time, and the taxpayers bear the burden of covering the additional expense. As an appellate prosecutor with 18 years of experience, I know how to avoid the legal mistakes trial judges commonly make that result in time-consuming retrials.

Setting responsible bail amounts means making an individualized assessment in each case. Before setting bail, I would consider the Public Safety Report as well as the factors in Article 17.15 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, such as the nature of the crime, whether the defendant is a repeat offender, the defendant's financial resources, and the safety of the victim and of the community. I would also evaluate the facts of each specific case before imposing other conditions of release (electronic monitoring, drug/alcohol testing, prohibiting firearms, curfew, etc.), and I would tailor those conditions to fit the specific degree of risk each defendant posed to the safety of the public.

As presiding Judge of the 184th District Court, I’ve already put this commitment into practice by significantly reducing the court’s case backlog by 62 % and I’ll continue building on that foundation in several ways. I actively manage my docket rather than letting cases languish, using consistent scheduling practices and firm trial settings to keep cases moving toward resolution without sacrificing fairness to either side. I utilize smart diversion where appropriate. Through the Emerging Adult Docket that I piloted in 2025, I connect eligible young, non-violent offenders (ages 18–25) with job training, education, mental health services, and mentorship as alternatives to incarceration.

Texas law provides a clear framework for setting bail which include balancing public safety concerns, the nature of the offense, evidence of flight, criminal history and the defendant's ability to pay. I apply an individualized, case by case assessment that honors the aforementioned factors. For first time, non- violent offenders, I look closely at ties to the community, employment, and the nature of the alleged offense. These factors speak to both flight risk and public safety, and I favor conditions of release that keep defendants working while their case proceeds. For repeat offenders, I weigh whether there is a history of noncompliance, missed court dates, violations of bond conditions and set higher bail amounts with GPS devices.