Qualifications
What training, experience, and characteristics qualify you for this position?
Justice of 3rd Court of Appeals since 2019; authored 800+ opinions. One of 19 Texas judges board-certified in Judicial Administration. Former US Army JAG Captain, Texas Assistant AG, Assistant DA.
Ethics
How will you ensure your rulings remain impartial and free from both political pressure and the interests of your campaign donors?
Independence is part of my record. On the 3rd Court, I ruled that the Texas Attorney General was not above the law in a whistleblower case, and that the governor does not possess absolute authority under the Texas Disaster Act. On the Supreme Court, I would decide cases the same way: based on the law, the record, and the arguments presented, not politics, donors, pressure, or personal preference.
Equity
What barriers prevent Texans from accessing the court system, and what can courts do to reduce those barriers?
Texans face barriers including cost, transportation, language, disability, lack of counsel, and legal complexity. As an appellate judge, UT Law adjunct professor, past Austin Bar president, and published writer on the need for pro bono legal services, I know courts must be accessible to everyone. Courts can expand plain-language resources, remote access, interpreters, and legal-aid partnerships.
Issues
What do you see as the most pressing challenge facing the courts today, and how would you propose addressing it?
The public lacks confidence that courts are independent and accountable. My record includes rulings on state power and public accountability. As a Texas Assistant Attorney General, I helped secure a $19.9 million Medicaid fraud settlement for taxpayers. As a Supreme Court justice, I would continue to write clear and timely opinions, be transparent, and enforce the rule of law.
Philosophy
What qualities are most critical for a judge to possess for fair administration of justice?
A judge needs integrity, independence, courage, patience, humility, command of the law, and freedom from bias. My lifelong public service as an Army paratrooper, prosecutor, appellate judge, Austin Bar president, and mentor to young attorneys has taught me that fair judging requires discipline, careful listening, respect for people, and decisions rooted in the law and the record.
