Qualifications
What training, experience, and characteristics qualify you for this position?
Over 400 appeals in the 1st, 14th Court of Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals, Texas and United States Supreme Courts during 28 yrs as an Asst. D.A., 20 yrs. in appeals, and 5 yrs as Chief of Appeals.
Ethics
How will you ensure your rulings remain impartial and free from both political pressure and the interests of your campaign donors?
Appellate judges follow the law given by higher appellate courts, the Legislature, and in the Constitution, apply that to the facts, and publish a defensible decision in all cases. I’ve had 28 years of balancing the expectations of a victim against the needs of the community and the accused in 100s of cases, Impartiality is key for the opinion to withstand higher court and public review.
Equity
What barriers prevent Texans from accessing the court system, and what can courts do to reduce those barriers?
The biggest barrier is the expense of litigation. Having access to resources remains essential. Some aid comes from local law schools and legal aid clinics that train young lawyers and increase legal aid for those without monetary resources. The second biggest barrier is the length of time it takes to resolve a case. That’s where courts need to increase efficiency and resolve cases quickly.
Precedent
: What factors should the Court of Appeals consider when deciding whether to change a past court ruling?
Changing precedent should be rare and happen only when the Legislature changed the law, when a higher court changed the precedent, or when the old interpretation added or subtracted words from the statute or rule necessary to its meaning. To reverse a lower court’s judgment, the appellate court must find it misapplied or misinterpreted the applicable law.
Philosophy
What is your judicial philosophy?
I hold the United States and Texas Constitutions supreme recognizing those sacred texts must be read as written because they stand as the will of the people. The law applies equally to everyone and must remain so to thrive as a community. A justice’s job is not to ignore or create the law, but to faithfully apply it as written by the Legislature and enshrined in the Constitution.
