It seemed that the Texas Supreme Court had finally shaken the "Justice for Sale" label that reflected a reputation as a haven for plaintiff's lawyers who bankrolled favored candidates. Then the court started drawing criticism as so business-oriented that it was ignoring valid jury verdicts.
So it's no surprise that Democrats trying to unseat three Republican justices are running on themes of change and diversity. (The nine-member court has been all-Republican since 1998.)...
Place 7
Houston lawyer Sam Houston claims no relation to the legendary Texas leader. However, he does say that he would bring balance to a court that seems to have swung too far in one direction.... Houston, 45, has spent 20 years as a civil litigator, mainly representing defendants such as insurance companies. But he said he also has represented plaintiffs and has support from lawyers on both sides of the docket. He is board-certified -- meaning specialized education and testing -- in personal injury law and trial advocacy.... The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Sam Houston in the Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 7.
Place 8
Justice Linda Yañez has been on the 13th Court of Appeals since 1993, deciding many of the kinds of cases that come before the Supreme Court. She has written more than 800 opinions for the appellate court, which is based in Corpus Christi and covers a 20-county area.
Yañez says that the current justices are too like-minded and that she would not only help foster more debate but, as a Latina, would add a voice that the court never has had. Yañez, 59, started her career as a legal aid lawyer, worked for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and has taught at the Harvard law school's immigration clinic and trial advocacy workshop.
The legal credentials of state District Judge Susan Criss of Galveston are more suited to the Court of Criminal Appeals than the Supreme Court's docket of business disputes, products liability, oil and gas cases, contracts, family law, medical malpractice and other civil matters.
Though her court hears criminal and civil matters, Criss, 46, is board-certified in criminal law, and her campaign materials tout her work as a prosecutor and "a tough advocate for stricter sanctions" against sex offenders.... The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Linda Yañez in the Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 8.
Sam Houston's prior endorsements:
The Dallas Morning News,
The Houston Chronicle,
The San Antonio Express-News,
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times
The Longview News-Journal and
The Victoria Advocate
Association of Women Attorneys
Austin Black Lawyers Association
Austin Progressive Coalition
Capital Area Asian American Democrats
Central Austin Democrats
Dallas Morning News
Harris County Democrats
Hidalgo County Tejano Democrats
Houston Chronicle
Houston GLBT Political Caucus
North by Northwest Democrats
Nueces County Tejano Democrats
Progressive Voters League of Dallas
South Texas Tejano Democrats
Texas AFL-CIO
University Democrats
West Austin Democrats
Justice Linda Yanez's prior endorsements:
The Dallas Morning News,
The Houston Chronicle,
The San Antonio Express-News,
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times
The Longview News-Journal and
The Victoria Advocate
Association of Women Attorneys
Austin Black Lawyers Association
Austin Progressive Coalition
Bexar County Young Democrats
Central Austin Democrats
Corpus Christi Central Labor Council
El Paso Tejano Democrats
Harris County Women’s Political Caucus
Hidalgo County Tejano Democrats
Hispanic Bar Association of Austin
Houston Black American Democrats
Houston Stonewall Democrats
Mexican American Bar Association of Houston
National Latino Police Officers Association of Harris County
Nueces County Tejano Democrats
Progressive Voters League of Dallas
South Austin Democrats
South Texas Tejano Democrats
Southwest Austin Democrats
Texas AFL-CIO
University Democrats
West Austin Democrats
2 comments:
Though your list of Yanez's supporters is impressive, as is, it should be noted that she has also received endorsements from the Dallas Stonewall Democrats and the Dallas County Young Democrats.
Austin American Statesman recommend Susan Criss and Sam Houston
Democrats face a much tougher choice in the race for Place 8 on the Supreme Court, in which two well-qualified jurists are vying for the nomination to challenge Republican incumbent Phil Johnson in November. Like Wainwright, Johnson is not involved in his colleagues’ troubles and is unopposed in the GOP primary.
He will face a challenge in November from either Linda Yañez, 59, an appeals court judge who lives in Edinburgh, or Susan Criss, a district judge in Galveston. Yañez ran unsuccessfully for the Supreme Court in 2002. Besides solid legal experience, Yañez has a compelling personal story to tell. She picked cotton as a teenager and was an elementary school teacher before turning to the law. Though that background isn’t uncommon, it’s certainly uncommon on Texas appeals courts.
Criss, whose father Lloyd Criss served in the Texas House of Representatives in 1970s and ’80s, has presided over the 212th District Court in Galveston County since 1986.
Like Houston, both cited the Supreme Court’s tilt toward business interests as their motive for running.
It’s a tough call on the endorsement because either would make a credible Democratic nominee. Criss is an intense competitor and, unfortunately, judicial races are political competitions. Criss has the potential of drawing attention to a judicial race that is usually low key and low interest.
Given the Supreme Court’s recent troubles, Texans need to pay attention to who sits on those nine chairs.
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