harris county democratic party judicial candidates harris county democratic party judicial candidates

for Family District Judge, 246th Judicial District. 3. Graduating with her law degree from South Texas College of Law in 1988, which included a summer program in law at Oxford University, Sophia became a licensed attorney with the State Bar of Texas that same year, then launched her law practice in 1991. Prior to taking the bench, I served as an Assistant District Attorney for Harris County before running a successful general civil litigation practice and, soon, devoting my practice to family law. For those reasons and for advancing safety in our community, Judge Hart was named 2018 Judge of the Year by the Texas Gang Investigators Association for his legal stewardship which allows justice to be served in a timely manner and for his outstanding contributions in the battle against gangs and organized crime., for District Judge, 232nd Judicial District. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in Madison Wisconsin. State Representatives. He was born in Houston Texas and has been living in Harris County his whole life. As an election integrity expert, she supports entities across the nation to have strong election security. The application must be . Whether it be through the Houston Police Department, The District Attorney's Office, or through his work representing indigent adults and children, there is still more to be done to ensure our community's faith is restored in the courthouse. He is a proud husband and father of one with two cats and three grandchildren. If even one is bounced, Abbott could appoint a replacement for those in the criminal courts. (Saving Ourselves By Education and Recovery) court addressing the needs of young repeat D.W.I. Geric was raised by a single Mexican mother with 2 siblings. Stephen, a proud Texas Aggie and graduate of Strake Jesuit Preparatory, runs a family-owned business his father Lupe Fraga founded in 1962, a legacy of hard work and enduring faith that reflects their past and inspires their future. Bob has worked on all types of Civil Cases, Foreclosures, Evictions, Family Law, Immigration cases, and Criminal Cases, including Traffic Ticket Defense. She received her law degree from South Texas College of Law and has been practicing criminal law in Harris County for 16 years. When they get to a race and they don't know anything about the candidates, they tend to vote based off gender," Jones said. Aplicacin para Cita de Presidente de Recinto, View the 2022 Harris County General Election Results. Rachel Leal-Hudson received her law degree from South Texas School of Law in 2007 and has been practicing law for 14 years. Then, after more than 20 years, Lori left the office as the chief prosecutor for the 208th District Court. Michelle and her husband Stephen Fraga know firsthand the rewards of building strong families and strong communities. That said, a candidate must earn our vote. He now serves as a Mediator and Arbitrator. Harris County Republican Party | 8588 Katy Freeway, Suite 445 Houston, TX 77024 | (713) 838-7900 . Farias got his J.D. Judge Laryssa Korduba is the first female Justice of the Peace in Precinct 4, serving as Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, Place 2. Justice Jewell has been Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1998. for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, Place 2. Mark has practiced criminal and family law for over 24 years. for District Judge, 248th Judicial District. And, instead of giving low bond to everybody, giving low bond to non-violent offenders but rationing up bonds for the violent offenders.". ", for Judge, County Civil Court at Law No. Her legal career has spanned over three decades and delved into many levels of litigation, probate, transactional, and real estate/property matters. Houston, Texas 77020 from the South Texas School of Law and clerked for various family law firms during his time as a student. In addition, Judge Ditta served as the Presiding Administrative Judge for all 16 Harris County Justice Courts from 2002-2004 and the Co-Presiding Administrative Judge from 2000-2002. With her heart for public service and her strong commitment to our community, Michelle Fraga stands ready to step into the arena. Judge Antu has also represented defendants in drug court. for District Judge, 183rd Judicial District. He is also a small business owner. Judge Karen Maisano will buck tradition and run in the Republican primary for Lancaster County Court judge despite failing to win an endorsement from the party's county committee. Xavier Alfaro graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Government Harris County, Texas (Judicial) - Ballotpedia He has served as an Associate Judge in the Houston Municipal Courts and is currently the Chief Investigator for the Harris County District Attorney's Office. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. About Us - HCDLA for Judge, County Civil Court at Law No. I have often represented executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, and beneficiaries in complex probate proceedings, and recovered millions of dollars in assets lost through fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. I have often represented executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, and beneficiaries in complex probate proceedings, and recovered millions of dollars in assets lost through fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. All Rights Reserved. Instead, Glass lowered it. Gardner Eastland received his law degree from SMU in Dallas and has been practicing family law for 18 years. Harris County, Texas contains 60 judicial districts, four probate courts and one county court. Judge Clyde was the highest HBA rated County Civil Court Judge while on the bench from June 2015 through December 2016, with zero reversals and only 1 modification on appeal. "This kind of, in some ways, taints all of the sitting judges, so by being an incumbent judge, there is a belief among a subset of Democratic primary voters that that person is lax on crime," Mark Jones, political science professor at Rice University, said. He was born in the DFW metroplex and grew up in Burleson, Texas. She graduated from the University of Saint Thomas with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business Administration and South Texas College of Law with a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1997. Both positions are volunteer positions without pay. In 2003, Judge Wilson was appointed Judge of the 157th Judicial District Court in Harris County, where he served for over 15 years. Justice Kevin Jewell was elected to the Fourteenth Court of Appeals on November 8, 2016. for Family District Judge, 308th Judicial District, for Family District Judge, 309th Judicial District. for District Judge, 183rd Judicial District, for District Judge, 184th Judicial Distric. Over the years, I was also appointed by the probate judges to handle both contested and uncontested estate and guardianship matters. She received her law degree from South Texas College of Law and has been practicing criminal law in Harris County for 16 years. Sue Schechter, the Harris County Democratic Party Chairwoman, was determined to have a Democrat fill every slot on the ballot. Before taking the bench, he handled hundreds of appeals and presented oral argument in over 100 cases collectively in the Supreme Court of Texas, all intermediate appellate courts in Texas, and several United States courts of appeals. He graduated first in his class. She is an experienced litigator including having worked on the Exxon Valdez case and Enron matter and participated in litigation in support of the City of Houston, Harris County Tax Office, and County Clerk. He has been part of Harris County for over 5 decades, working tirelessly to make it a better, safer place for everyone. Sophia is a native Houstonian with her own solo law practice. I have tried cases in Harris County, Fort Bend County, Montgomery County, Brazoria County, Galveston County, Dallas County, Bexar County, and in State and Federal Court. They are members of Holy Rosary Catholic Church where they enjoy attending Mass each week. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1971 Press Photo Bill Williams, Harris County Democratic Chairman, holds papers. Until every county-wide Republican up for election in November 2016 was swept out of office, Judge Clyde had earned a reputation for FAIRNESS and for treating all people with RESPECT and courtesy, while faithfully following the law. Zachary Gibson is currently a prosecutor for Harris County where he has served his community for the past 6 years. Having lived in Houston his entire adult life, this is especially true for Harris County. 2. She is an experienced litigator including having worked on the Exxon Valdez case and Enron matter and participated in litigation in support of the City of Houston, Harris County Tax Office, and County Clerk. She has volunteered at M.D. Justice Jewell is a member of the State Bar of Texas and Houston Bar Association, and a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Milwaukee County Judge Janet Protasiewicz, the race's liberal-backed candidate, said Wednesday she would recuse herself from hearing lawsuits brought by or against the Democratic Party of . [1][2], Though Texas officially has closed primaries (requiring that voters declare party affiliation in advance in order to participate), the state's primaries are functionally open: any registered voter may vote in any single party's primary if they have not voted in the primary of another party. His strong sense of service and community started when he joined the US Army and served with distinction as reconnaissance in Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Provide Comfort, protecting Kurdish refugees. After receiving his honorary discharge from the military, Kevin returned to the community. The bench does not belong to the DA's Office. Maria Valeria has four children, who, although they are now adults, continue to be her greatest joy. MY 2022 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY JUDICIAL ENDORSEMENTS - Robert J. Fickman He has served as an Associate Judge in the Houston Municipal Courts and is currently the Chief Investigator for the Harris County District Attorneys Office. Elizabeth has evaluated hundreds of cases and been to trial in both Misdemeanor and Felony court. Website Facebook . Join our Team HCDP as a Precinct Chair, volunteer to call voters, knock doors, become a fellow, or join our leadership academy. for Family District Judge, 310th Judicial District. For the 2022 election cycle, this website researched each political candidate that will appear on the Harris County November ballot and then endorsed thosecandidates (see below) that we believe will best serve the interests of allHarris County residents. Maria Valeria Brock received her law degree from the University of Houston Law Center in 1990 and has been practicing law for over 30 years. Xavier has spent nearly I am a member of the State Bar of Texas Real Estate, Probate and Trust Section, Taxation Section and Litigation Section and the Houston Bar Association Probate, Trusts and Estate Section, Taxation Section and Litigation Section. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- The primary election proved to be a shake up for judges in Harris County. Notauthorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Outside the practice of law, Sartaj has had the privilege to serve as an adjunct professor. During her five years of service as a district judge, Kristin presided over more than 100 trials and is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Archer has also assisted many Attorneys with cases pending in these courts. And, she has put her creativity and organizational gifts to work in chairing special programs and events, such as TEW, Steps for Students, the S.E.R. Her husband, Bill Delmore, spent 27 years as a prosecutor at the Harris County District Attorneys Office and is currently a prosecutor in Montgomery County, where he has worked for Republican District Attorney Brett Ligon since he took office on January 1, 2009. Judge Laryssa received her law degree from the University of Houston in 2003 as a Mixon Scholarship Recipient. Read More FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a dinner for the South Carolina Democratic Party on June 10, 2022, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard, File) Read Less Andrew Bayley received his law degree from South Texas College of Law Houston in 2009 and has been practicing law for 12 years. She has a unique perspective on justice due to her time working in the Responsive Interventions for Change docket aimed at getting non-violent drug offenders who needed treatment to reestablish themselves in society. Down-ballot races are not typically a hot election topic, but public concerns over rising crime have pushed Harris County's 68 judicial races to the forefront this cycle. Texas is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. She has worked as a litigator, mediator, and amicus attorney during her legal career. B. Attorneys Office where he served as a Chief Prosecutor is two of the County Courts at Law. Texas County Courts She resolved thousands of cases from DWI to aggravated robbery, child abuse, and capital murder. Learn more about the Republican judicial candidates and crime in Harris County below and contribute to the partys joint judicial campaign to help get them elected! They are members of Holy Rosary Catholic Church where they enjoy attending Mass each week. Stay Informed. A voting surge cleared the Harris County courtrooms of all elected Republican judges, leaving only Democrats on the bench in civil, criminal, family, juvenile and probate courts. After graduating from Texas A&M University with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Sartaj worked as a Process Engineer prior to attending South Texas College of Law. Sophia is honored to be on the November ballot as the Republican nominee for Judge of Harris County Probate Court #2! Bob is married to Mei Wolfe and their daughter attends public school. While most of our local Democratic candidates barely squeakedby to win, all of our statewide candidates lost. She is a member of the Houston Bar Association and a Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation. He became Board Certified in Family Law in 2007 and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Every action you take makes a big difference. Find your Election Day polling location here . Heathers legal career was inspired by her father, who also served as a prosecutor in Harris County for many years before he was elected to the 14th Court of Appeals. Jesus Guillen received his law degree from South Texas College of Law in 2014 and has been practicing family law for 7 years. . 189th Judicial District Texas Statutory Probate Courts She was born and raised in Houston and is a proud graduate of Bellaire High School. Will Archer has 25 years of experience as a practicing Attorney. Chambers USA named Wilson as one of the leading commercial litigators in America. With the experience and the work ethic that drove him through college, law school and years of practice in our courts, voters can be sure they will be getting a hardworking judge with common sense. As a whole, Harris County criminal court judges came under fire for issues relating to releasing violent offenders on low bonds. In addition, she has a history of working with domestic violence victims and owns her family law firm, which she has been practicing her entire career. Sophia is a past member of Patrons for Bellaire Parks and the Houston Realty Business Coalition. and/or we were more impressed with the challenger. In his free time, Sartaj loves to spend time with his family and travel. and earned his law degree from St. Thomas University School of Law. Jessica has continued to serve the community in indigent defense and works in the countys drug courts helping clients overcome drug addiction. Interns wanted: Get paid to help ensure that every voter has unbiased election information. Andrea Beall ( Democratic Party) is a judge of the Texas 185th District Court. Harris to promote broadband in South Carolina as 2024 looms .courts-container hr {background-color:#f0a236;padding-bottom:2px;}, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Texas Supreme Court His strong sense of service and community started when he joined the US Army and served with distinction as reconnaissance in Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Provide Comfort, protecting Kurdish refugees. After receiving his honorary discharge from the military, Kevin returned to the community. His first wife passed away and they had 2 sons who also attended school in Houston. Married for 14 years with three sons Gregory (11), Stephen (11) and Andrew (6), they are committed to showing the next generation the importance of civic responsibility and the value of personal freedoms. Xavier will be the kind of judge who always puts our community and the Constitution first. Xavier is currently a Deputy Division Chief at the Fort Bend County District Attorneys Office Gala, and Cardinals Christmas. Paula Goodhart has practiced criminal law for 29 years. Her campaign slogan is Mama Mia Vote for Sophia, in honor of her mom. Sonya Aston is a sixth generation Houstonian, who has dedicated her life to public service through, environmental enforcement, enforcing tax collection laws, working at Transtar during emergency events, administering elections for Harris County for eight years, drafting state legislation, and much more. He has been recognized in Strathmores Whos Who of Professionals, HTown Magazine, and Houstonia Magazine. Since taking the bench as Justice of the Peace, Judge Laryssa has made countless strides to improve customer service, increase and pilot new technology programs, and guarantee efficiency in her courtroom. Throughout his years of service, Judge Ditta has served as a frequent speaker before numerous civic, professional, and educational organizations and as an instructor for Justices throughout the State of Texas. A career public servant and lifelong Republican, Elizabeth Buss attended Thurgood Marshall School of Law before joining the Harris County District Attorneys Office where she has worked for nearly ten years. She started her career as a prosecutor in the Harris County DAs office and currently runs her own private criminal law practice. She was instrumental in developing the young offender S.O.B.E.R. After graduation, Dan worked for the Harris County District Attorneys Office and continues to work as a Criminal Defense Attorney in Harris County. Geric is a combat veteran having served 11 years in the U.S. Army with a combat tour during Desert Storm. Heather Hudson received her law degree from St. Mary's University School of Law and has been practicing criminal appellate law as a prosecutor for 14 years. Odus Evbagharu, chair of the Harris County Democratic Party Evbagharu believes Democratic voters turned out in reaction to the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, as well as to. for District Judge, 234th Judicial District. I am a member of the State Bar of Texas Real Estate, Probate and Trust Section, Taxation Section and Litigation Section and the Houston Bar Association Probate, Trusts and Estate Section, Taxation Section and Litigation Section. He is a Credentialed Mediator and an Arbitrator. Bobs oldest son, Mike Wolfe has served as a Board Member of the Harris County Department of Education and is currently a candidate for the Texas State Board of Education, District 6. She was born and raised in Houston and is a proud graduate of Bellaire High School. In the primary election, four incumbent criminal Democratic district court judges were beat by their opponents. Malcolm Whittaker is a highly experienced civil litigator. Bob is married to Mei Wolfe and their daughter attends public school. Judge Maritza Antu was appointed by Governor Gregg Abbott to be the first Judge of the 482nd Criminal District Court. Heather Hudson received her law degree from St. Marys University School of Law and has been practicing criminal appellate law as a prosecutor for 14 years. After graduation and receiving his law license, he remained with the Police Department another 14 years working in divisions such as Internal Affairs and as a lawyer in Legal Services for Chief Bradford. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; .courts-container { background-color:#fcfcfc; width:100%; border:1px solid black;padding:5px;text-align:center;clear:both; } Follow the link below for more information about running and details regarding the March 19 CEC meeting. 1976 Press Photo Bob Sobeo, candidate for Harris County Chairman, Texas Tuesday's. Governor Greg Abbott appointed Justice Randy Wilson to the Fourteenth Court of Appeals in December 2020, effective January 2021. failing to proactively address the violent crime wave, reckless bail bond decisions, allegations of corruption, scandals, general incompetence, etc.) She previously served as a partner at Yetter Coleman, LLP and as an assistant Texas Solicitor General. Prior to his election, Justice Jewell was a litigation and appellate shareholder at Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry in Houston, Texas, where he chaired the firms appellate practice group. Kevin has been practicing law for over 14 years now in private practice while also serving as a Judge Advocate with the Texas State Guard and working on his LLM at Baylor Law School. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- The primary election proved to be a shake up for judges in Harris County. Geric Tipsword has been a Houston resident since 2004, coming to Houston to attend law school he remained to begin his law practice. This new political blog websiteofficially launched in late2020and is focused on issues important to Harris County residents. Paula has the experience, leadership and knowledge to be the next judge of Harris County Criminal Court at Law #2. Tonya McLaughlin is a native Texan. "It's an educated and relatively informed group (of voters in the primary), but really no one can be informed about all of the judges we have on our Harris County ballot," Jones said. for Family District Judge, 247th Judicial District. Harris County courthouse For more on this story, follow Mycah Hatfield on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. In the five months has served, Judge Antu has reduced the criminal backlog by 900 cases and has presided over 6 jury trials. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. state. She has volunteered at M.D. Harris County crime rates have skyrocketed under the Democrats leadership. Justice Kevin Jewell was elected to the Fourteenth Court of Appeals on November 8, 2016. Resolutions passed by Executive Committee. She graduated from the University of Saint Thomas with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business Administration and South Texas College of Law with a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1997. HCDLA - Harris Country Democratic Lawyers Association With the insight gained from these casesover 38,000 of themI will, in serving as your arbitrator or mediator, help you see the strengths and weaknesses of your case as a judge or jury would, and thus help avoid unnecessary expenses and stress of going or returning to court. He has been co-parenting 3 children for over 30 years. Geric is a former teacher who taught 9th grade math. In 1983, Bob began his legal career by establishing his legal practice. for District Judge, 189th Judicial District. She was elected by her peers to serve as the Presiding Judge of the Harris County Criminal Courts at Law and has repeatedly received the highest ratings by attorneys voting in the Houston Bar Association Judicial poll. 100% remote. Chuck Silverman, Abigail Anastasio, Amy Martin and Greg Glass all came up short. In addition to prosecuting cases for the last 3 years at the Harris County Attorney's Office, his legal experiences include clerking in the family law courts under Judge Georgia Dempster, Judge Denise Pratt, Judge Bonnie Hellums and facilitating permanency for children currently in the Gulf Coast Children' Court. Tami then went to law school, raised a family and began her law career as a criminal defense attorney prior to becoming a prosecutor. He served again when Governor Abbott appointed him to fill a vacancy in 2020. Since leaving the district attorneys office, Lori has spent the last three years representing indigent defendants in Harris County. They are also blessed with 2 beautiful granddaughters. Sophia is a native Houstonian with her own solo law practice. Even without straight ticket voting, Jones said voters tend to stick to their parties and does not expect many if any of the open seats to be turned over to a Republican in the November election. After graduation and receiving his law license, he remained with the Police Department another 14 years working in divisions such as Internal Affairs and as a lawyer in Legal Services for Chief Bradford. He has since been practicing family law as an attorney since 2005 and has owned his own Family law firm since 2006. SEE RELATED STORY: Houston police officers shot: 1 officer killed, 1 injured while executing warrant in NE Harris Co. Court records showed Glass did not deny bond to the twice-convicted felon like prosecutors requested on a prior charge. Jesus Guillen is married and has 2 children. Farias got his J.D. He is a Credentialed Mediator and an Arbitrator. He has also volunteered as a professional auctioneer since 1992, helping numerous non-profit organizations raise funds for worthy causes throughout Harris and Galveston County. She also held office as Parish Council President, Vice-President, and Secretary for multiple terms in each role and was appointed in 2012 to the Legal Affairs Committee for the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the U.S.A. She is a member of the Houston Bar Association and a Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation. Tami C. Pierce has over 30 years experience in the Criminal Justice system. He is board certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. As judge of Harris Countys 308th Family District Court, I resolved over 400 cases per month across the full spectrum of family law matters. Only a handful of Democratic candidates ran that year. for District Judge, 295th Judicial District, for District Judge, 482nd Judicial District, for Family District Judge, 245th Judicial District, for Family District Judge, 246th Judicial District, for Family District Judge, 247th Judicial District. This example of selfless service led her to begin her training after law school at the Harris County District Attorney's Office where she handled all types of criminal cases. As an (almost) lifelong resident of Harris County, she can't imagine a better place to live with her two dogs, Penny and Roch. | Harris County Democrats Monks is dedicated to retaking the courthouse and restoring respect for our criminal justice system. From my father, I learned that every conversation starts with listening, and from my mother, the compassion to accept people as they are.