Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4, Place 2. Beall led the race by 13% in the primary. 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. for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 8, Place 2. Protasiewicz says she will recuse from cases involving the state Another officer was shot during the encounter as well. 4. Growing up in San Antonio, my parents instilled in me two valuable lessons, ones that I have carried with me through my three decades of practicing family law here in Houston, my eight years as a Harris County family court judge, and now in my service to you as a family law arbitrator and mediator. for District Judge, 157th Judicial District. Tami then went to law school, raised a family and began her law career as a criminal defense attorney prior to becoming a prosecutor. Lori holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Baylor Law School. Man, woman shot in grocery store parking lot in SE Houston, police say, Armed carjacking suspect leads police on dangerous chase, Do not to buy Raspberry Rally cookies from eBay, Girl Scouts say. Jessica and her husband, Michael, have been married for 20 years, have two children, and one spoiled pug. 3 in the November 2022 General Election. for Judge, County Civil Court at Law No. As an (almost) lifelong resident of Harris County, she cant imagine a better place to live with her two dogs, Penny and Roch. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- The primary election proved to be a shake up for judges in Harris County. [1] The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas has jurisdiction in Harris County. He has been licensed and practiced civil litigation in the Harris County Courts for 30-years. He has also served as appellate counsel in numerous trials across thestate. Bail Reform, Rising Crime Shine Spotlight on Harris County Judicial With more than 40 years of legal practice, he holds certifications in two relevant fields: Civil Trial Law and Civil Appellate Law. 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. He was born in Port Arthur, Texas and has lived in Harris County for 38 years. She was instrumental in developing the young offender S.O.B.E.R. Aaron G. Adams is a practicing Attorney of 17 years, Sports Agent, Author, and Real Estate Investor. Houston native and attorney Leslie Johnson is the Republican nominee for Judge of Harris County Criminal Court-at-Law No. She is a past member of HCRPs Military Partnership Committee. In short, Malcolm is ready to serve as a district court judge. state. Geric was raised by a single Mexican mother with 2 siblings. They are also blessed with 2 beautiful granddaughters. 2022 Democratic Primary - Harris County Democrats After graduation, Dan worked for the Harris County District Attorneys Office and continues to work as a Criminal Defense Attorney in Harris County. In 2008 Sophia was appointed to serve as a Commissioner for the City of Houston Police Officers Civil Service Commission and was elected to and served as Chairman of the Commission from 2008 to June 2022. Gala, and Cardinals Christmas. In his free time, Sartaj loves to spend time with his family and travel. He has been co-parenting 3 children for over 30 years. Candidates - Harris Votes Judge Louie Ditta has served as the Presiding Judge of the Harris County Justice of the Peace Court (Precinct 8, Place 2) since 1997, having been re-elected to four consecutive four-year terms in 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2010. Justice Terry Adams was appointed to the First Court of Appeals by Governor Abbott in 2020. As a family they enjoy game nights, traveling, and fostering dogs for a local rescue. Website Facebook . Republican judges swept out by voters in Harris County election - Chron Governor Greg Abbott appointed Justice Randy Wilson to the Fourteenth Court of Appeals in December 2020, effective January 2021. Originally from Natchez, Mississippi, he has lived in Harris County for 29 years. With the exception of County Judge, which is the first county office to appear, the other county races come after any county judicial elections, which we know in a . She has worked hard to see that justice is done and will be fair but firm and uphold the rule of law. Currently an Assistant District Attorney with the Harris County District Attorneys office, Ambers work as a prosecutor has been to maintain the communitys safety while seeing that justice is done. Frank Aguilar, Chris Morton and Hilary Unger beat their opponents. Filing in the 2022 Republican or Democratic Primary Election Prior to making ourendorsement, we considered, among other things, each candidate's record, prior job performance, ethics, education, qualifications, priorities, stand on the issues, and vision for the future. As a prosecutor, Elizabeth has served as a Misdemeanor Chief and practiced in the Felony, Juvenile and Intake Divisions. Find an event near you . for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 5, Place 2. for District Judge, 248th Judicial District. President's Message: Tonya McLaughlin is a native Texan. 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. She resolved thousands of cases from DWI to aggravated robbery, child abuse, and capital murder. Lance has since worked for the Jefferson County District Attorneys Office, the Harris County Office of Court Management, and as special prosecutor for Smith County, Wharton County and the 112th District Attorney. Bob is a native Houstonian, where he was born, raised, and attended public schools. He served 10 years as the Precinct Chairman of Precinct 216 Senate District 13 (2007 - 2016). She was elected to this position in November 2014. To that end, we endorse the. She is married to her best friend of 14 years, Matt, and they have four beautiful children together. 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. He has been part of Harris County for over 5 decades, working tirelessly to make it a better, safer place for everyone. Dan Lemkuil has 28 years of Family Law experience, is board certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has over five years of service as a Family Court Associate Judge, serving the people of Harris County. As judge of Harris Countys 308th Family District Court, I resolved over 400 cases per month across the full spectrum of family law matters. 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. He graduated from the University of Houston, earning a B. Justice Kevin Jewell was elected to the Fourteenth Court of Appeals on November 8, 2016. I enjoy fishing, Houstons original restaurants, and professional sports, my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Duke and attending my granddaughters soccer games. Justice Jewell has been Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1998. She previously served as a partner at Yetter Coleman, LLP and as an assistant Texas Solicitor General. The family enjoys taking an active role in their church, schools, and neighborhood, bringing their spirit of teamwork to community causes, and sowing the seeds of patriotism. Judge Prine left the bench in 2019. Amber Cox is a seasoned attorney with 18 years of civil and criminal court experience. She has volunteered at M.D. for District Judge, 180th Judicial District. He has been married for 22 years to Alyssa Lemkuil, a former state district court judge, with one daughter starting her second year of college. I am also a member of the Disability and Elder Law Attorneys Association and Attorneys in Tax and Probate. Being moderate Democrats, we are naturally inclined to endorse Democratic candidates. Xavier Alfaro graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and earned his law degree from St. Thomas University School of Law. 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. She received her law degree from South Texas College of Law and has been practicing criminal law in Harris County for 16 years. Nile has been there as a volunteer mediator, in drafting wills in will clinics, in assisting in immigration forums, and sometimes he rolls up his sleeves with friends to do some labor with hurricane relief through groups such as the freemasons, shriners, bar associations, conservationist groups and whomever needs a helping hand in the neighborhood we call Texas. Family District Judge, 280th Judicial District. He expects a higher voter turnout in the fall but said they are typically less familiar with the candidates and stick to their party. A. in Business Administration with a major in accounting. 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. He has since been practicing family law as an attorney since 2005 and has owned his own Family law firm since 2006. I also belong to the Houston Business and Estate Planning Council and the Houston Estate and Financial Forum. https://t.co/iLQ2QESqPx, RT @Jon_RosenthalTX: Thanks to @axios for bringing attention to this issue. Her work in the private sector since the early 2000s includes extensive experience in our County Criminal Courts. She started her legal career as a prosecutor under Johnny Holmes in 1998 and has worked for seven different district attorneys in Harris County before leaving in February of 2019 under the Kim Ogg administration. "In a low information race, when you have a woman running against a man in the Democratic primary, odds are the woman is going to win because there are significantly more women who participate in the Harris County Democratic primary. In order to become the Republican or Democratic Party nominee for a particular office, you must file an application (PDF) for a place on the ballot with the county or state party chair, as appropriate (see chart). 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. Mark honorably retired as a Houston Police Lieutenant after 25 years of service. It belongs to the people. 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; } Malcolm understands civil disputes and has successfully guided numerous individuals and corporations though the process. Parties seek answers after Harris County fumbles election vote count She was born and raised in Houston and is a proud graduate of Bellaire High School. Texas Statutory Probate Courts 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. She is the former award-winning judge of Harris County Criminal Court at Law #1 were she served for more than 8 years. He is a proud husband and father of one with two cats and three grandchildren. 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. seasoned criminal defense attorney. Sophia is a member of the Rotary Club of Houston International and the Middle Eastern Heritage Club of Houston. After graduating cum laude from Georgetown University, he then attended The University of Texas School of Law and graduated with honors. He has been in Harris County for over 40 years and is proud to call Texas his home with his wife, two sons, five daughters and three grandchildren. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1976 Press Photo Bob Sobeo, candidate for Harris County Chairman, Texas at the best online prices at eBay! 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. Tuesday's. Both positions are volunteer positions without pay. B. Lance has dedicated his entire career to serving the public. If our Democratic candidates can dominate the urban areas, win in the suburbs, andat least be competitivein the rural areas, we CAN winstatewide elections. Candidate Endorsements | Harris County Democrats While most of our local Democratic candidates barely squeakedby to win, all of our statewide candidates lost. Fred has been a Super Lawyer in Insurance Coverage since 2007. Dan would like to continue his passion by earning your vote to serve our justice system as a judge. Xavier Alfaro graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Government Judge Genesis Draper, a Democrat who is running for re-election to Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 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. I am a proud graduate of the University of Houston, where I received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, and of South Texas College of Law. The people of Harris County speak more than 145 different languages and come from every corner of the globe. From my father, I learned that every conversation starts with listening, and from my mother, the compassion to accept people as they are. That said, a candidate must earn our vote. After years of working in property management, Judge Korduba then started her law practice and grew it to an industry-leading statewide firm. Jeffrey and other officers were serving a high-level narcotics warrant to a 30-year-old suspect at the time. She is married to her best friend of 14 years, Matt, and they have four beautiful children together. The experience I garnered served me well during my eight years on the bench. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. She started her career as a prosecutor in the Harris County DA's office and currently runs her own private criminal law practice. He has handled numerous cases in the Civil District Courts and Probate Courts. 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. If even one is bounced, Abbott could appoint a replacement for those in the criminal courts. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- The primary election proved to be a shake up for judges in Harris County. Sophia has volunteered for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital by serving on the Houston Gala committee from 2006 to 2021. He has dedicated his entire legal career to working in Criminal Law and successfully earned a 2018 Judicial Nomination for the Republican Party in a highly contested race. I enjoy fishing, Houstons original restaurants, and professional sports, my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Duke and attending my granddaughters soccer games. If we failed to endorse aDemocrat, we either identified troublesome issues (e.g. ROBERT FICKMAN'S 2022 HARRIS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY JUDICIAL ENDORSEMENTS Friends - The Harris County District Attorneys Office has SHAMEFULLY encouraged assistant district attorneys and pro- prosecution candidates to run against some of our best incumbent judges in the Democratic Primary. The family enjoys taking an active role in their church, schools, and neighborhood, bringing their spirit of teamwork to community causes, and sowing the seeds of patriotism. Michael grew up in Pasadena where he and his wife of 36 years, Laura, raised their 3 children. for District Judge, 182nd Judicial District. Kevin Fulton has dedicated his life to serving others. A judge should be neutral . Jones said several factors contribute to the shake up of judges: bond, where the candidates were on the ballot, and whether they are male or female. 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. 12, said it is "disingenuous to suggest that because we let people out of jail on a. Leslie and her husband, Houston attorney Dane Johnson, reside in Houston and have two children. He is only one of two persons ever named by Law Dragon as one of the 500 Leading Judges in America and one of the 500 Leading Lawyers in America. Please SCROLL DOWN (14 pages)to view our candidate endorsements. 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. Her legal career has spanned over three decades and delved into many levels of litigation, probate, transactional, and real estate/property matters. For years Fraga has been bringing leadership, fresh ideas, and high energy to good causes in our community. Dan Simons is a former Air Force Veteran and graduate of Thurgood Marshall School of Law and the University of Houston Law School. 8 years of his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney. Xavier began his career with the Harris County District Attorneys Office where he served as a Chief Prosecutor is two of the County Courts at Law. for District Judge, 183rd Judicial District. Before that, he practiced as a Certified Public Accountant. In the primary election, four incumbent criminal Democratic district court judges were beat by their opponents. Sophia is honored to be on the November ballot as the Republican nominee for Judge of Harris County Probate Court #2! After graduating cum laude from Georgetown University, he then attended The University of Texas School of Law and graduated with honors. She started her career as a prosecutor in the Harris County DAs office and currently runs her own private criminal law practice. Harris County Republican Party | 8588 Katy Freeway, Suite 445 Houston, TX 77024 | (713) 838-7900 . She was born and raised in Houston and has lived in Harris County for 27 years. Voter Guide & Election Information | Harris County Democrats In addition, Malcolm served on the Board of Directors of a Privately Held Corporation with more than 30 million dollars in annual sales. After that, Nathan stayed in Austin and attended the University of Texas School of Law, receiving his JD. 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. Jessica and her husband, Michael, have been married for 20 years, have two children, and one spoiled pug. Harris County GOP focuses on bail, crime to break winless streak for Family District Judge, 310th Judicial District. With over 21 years of experience as a prosecutor, defense attorney and District Court Judge, Kristin has the experience to ensure that the criminal justice system works efficiently to give our community and its citizens the justice they deserve. for District Judge, 228th Judicial District. Farias got his J.D. Her current term ends on January 1, 2027. The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas has jurisdiction in Harris County. Justice Adams has been married for thirty-eight years and has three children. For the 2022 election cycle, this website researched each political candidate that will appear on the Harris County November ballot and then endorsed those candidates (see below) that we believe will best serve the interests of all Harris County residents. B. 1976 Press Photo Bob Sobeo, candidate for Harris County Chairman, Texas Our phones are staffed Monday through Friday from 10 AM until 4 PM at (713) 802-0085 , or email us at: harrisdemocrats@harrisdemocrats.com. We are an independent political blog and simply offer candid, mainstream perspective to help the Democratic Party improve and be successful. After years of working in property management, Judge Korduba then started her law practice and grew it to an industry-leading statewide firm. When not working tirelessly for his clients, Chris loves traveling with his growing family. He is a former board member of Star of Hope and Main Street Ministries and an Elder at First Presbyterian Church of Houston. 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. Justice Adams, now back in private practice, has been an appellate lawyer for more than thirty years. 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. Follow the link below for more information about running and details regarding the March 19 CEC meeting. Denise Graves received her bachelors of science in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University before earning her J.D. Apply today! (Section 172.022, Texas Election Code). for Family District Judge, 312th Judicial District. Bruce has handled cases before civil district courts throughout Texas, before the Texas Courts of Appeals, and the Federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals En Banc. Justice Kevin Jewell was elected to the Fourteenth Court of Appeals on November 8, 2016. Geric holds an Associate's Degree in Transportation, a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, is a certified teacher, has a Master's Degree in Education Intervention, and has his Juris Doctorate (Magna Cum Laude).