Backlog
How will you address the case backlog in your court to ensure timely resolution for all parties?
There are more than 1,200 criminal cases currently pending in Harris County Criminal Court at Law # 8. (According to the latest data fromHarrisCountyTX.gov). To address the backlog, I will do three things. First, I will work through a full docket each day without ending my day early. Second, I will implement a scheduling order based on the complexity and age of each case. 23% of pending cases in Court 8 are older than 6 months. Few misdemeanor cases should require more than 6 months to resolve, so these will be my first priority. Third, I will order shorter reset periods for DWI’s. DWI’s tend to take the longest to resolve due to outstanding evidence. Shorter reset periods causes the State to gather the evidence more quickly.
Efficiency/accessibility
How will you ensure efficient and equitable resolution of matters that come before your court, and that all residents — regardless of their financial means — have meaningful access to legal resources?
Crime victims deserve justice without delay and defendants are entitled to a speedy trial. These are accomplished through the scheduling order discussed above, and by going to trial once both the State and defense have had sufficient time to review discovery. To ensure the rights of crime victims are respected and that they are informed of what is occurring in court, I will live stream docket by ZOOM everyday for the public. Also, I will consider public safety in each case before setting bail. To ensure the rights of defendants are respected, I will explain their rights to them. And I will ensure indigent defendants receive competent defense counsel. Lastly, I will uphold the Constitution, apply the law fairly, and respect all parties.
