|
LINKS AND INFO ON TEXAS APPEALS COURTS AND JUSTICES FOR STUDENTS,
CITIZENS, AND ALL OTHERS INTERESTED IN THE TEXAS JUDICIARY AND ITS ELECTED
MEMBERS. SEE TABLE OF ALL CANDIDATES IN TEXAS STATEWIDE RACES IN
NOVEMBER 2008 ELECTIONS
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
ELECTED APPELLATE COURTS IN BRIEF. Justices of the Texas courts of
appeals are elected and serve six-year terms. Vacant seats, however, are filled by
gubernatorial appointment if the term of the resigning judge has not yet expired.
Jurists appointed by the Governor to fill an appellate bench vacancy must face the
voters at the election next following their appointment to stay in office for the
remainder of the term of the seat to which they were appointed. (Seats are
referred to as "Place" and numerically designated. Chief justices occupy Place 1
on their respective courts.) The same applies when a sitting associated justice is
promoted to the position of chief justice by gubernatorial appointment. Judges on
the Texas Courts of Appeals carry the job title Justice, not to be confused with
Justices of the Peace (JP). JPs are judges at the lowest level of the judicial
hierarchy, who do not even have to be attorneys. Texas has two courts of last
resort, the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals, and fourteen
intermediate courts of appeals of varying size, which hear both civil and criminal
cases. See overview of the rather complex structure of the Texas court system on
the home page of the Texas Judiciary's web site.
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
TEXAS SUPREME COURT ELECTION CONTESTS
RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGNS '08: Result: Incumbents won
(with links to campaign websites)
Tex. Supreme Court Place 1:
Republican Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson vs. Democrat James R. "Jim"
Jordan
Tex. Supreme Court Place 7:
Republican Justice Dale Wainwright vs. Democratic Challenger Sam Houston
(Would-be challenger Baltasar Cruz lost to Sam Houston in the Democratic primary)
Tex. Supreme Court Place 8:
Republican Incumbent Justice Phil Johnson vs. Democrat Justice Linda Reyna
Yanez (Another Democratic Candidate, Galveston District Court Judge Susan Criss narrowly
lost to Yanez in the Democratic primary)
COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS
ELECTIONS Result: Incumbents won
CCA Place 3:
Republican Incumbent Tom Price vs. Democratic challenger Susan Strawn
Libertarian Candidate: Matthew E. Eilers
Tom Price - Incumbent REP 2,599,944 51.10% 3,940,954 51.62%
Susan Strawn DEM 2,361,629 46.41% 3,477,426 45.55%
Matthew E. Eilers LIB 126,062 2.47% 215,427 2.82%
CCA Place 4:
Republican Incumbent Paul Womack vs. Democratic candidate J.R. Molina
Liberarian Candidate: Dave Howard
Paul Womack - Incumbent REP 2,665,080 52.47% 4,035,683 52.94%
J.R. Molina DEM 2,265,690 44.61% 3,336,944 43.77%
Dave Howard LIB 147,637 2.90% 249,921 3.27%
CCA Place 9:
Republican Cathy Cochran vs Libertarian candidate William Bryan Strange, III
(no Democratic challenger in this race)
Cathy Cochran - Incumbent REP 3,079,379 81.93% 4,709,086 81.88%
William Bryan Strange, III LIB 679,069 18.06% 1,041,499 18.11%
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Disclaimers re: Texas Opinions Dot Com This site is a work in progress and is meant to
provide useful information (and links to relevant pages) to students, citizens, voters, and anyone else
interested in the Texas judicial system and its elected judges. The Texas Opinions web site is not an
official web site of the State of Texas, its judiciary, or the State Bar of Texas. Nor is this site affiliated
with or sponsored by any judicial campaign. No warranty is given as to accuracy or completeness of the
information on this site, nor is any warranty implied. Corrections and suggestions are welcome. It is
the policy of this site to link to all campaign websites of Texas appellate court justices running for re-
election and their opponents in the upcoming 2008 judicial elections. Any omission is not intentional
and should be brought to the webmaster's attention. Other link requests will be considered on a case-
by-case basis.
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
JUSTICES OF THE COURTS OF APPEALS, YEAR TERM OF OFFICE ENDS,
AND INFORMATION AND LINKS FOR RE-ELECTION CONTESTS
RACES FOR CHIEF JUSTICE OF COURT OF APPEALS
Chief Justice W. Kenneth Law
Current term ends 12/31/o8
Result: Incumbent Ken Law Defeated by Woodie Jones
2008 Election contest:
Republican Incumbent Ken Law
Democratic Challenger in 2008: Attorney Woodie Jones --> Campaign web site
Ken Law - Incumbent REP 284,595 46.16% 406,316 47.59%
Woodie Jones DEM 331,890 53.83% 447,316 52.40%
Chief Justice Alma L. López
4th Court of Appeals in San Antonio
Current term runs through 12/31/08 | Next election: 2008
Result: Voters promote Associate Justice Stone to Chief
2008 Election contest:
Ann Comerio vs. Catherine Stone (associate justice - official profile)
Ann Comerio REP 244,394 45.27% 338,520 44.17%
Catherine Stone DEM 295,377 54.72% 427,769 55.82%
Chief Justice Brian Quinn --> Official Photo and Background
7th Court of Appeals in Amarillo, TX
Incumbent's term ends 12/31/08 | Next election: 2008
2008 General Election: Brian Quinn, unopposed
Chief Justice David Wellington Chew --> Official Bio, Photo, and Significant Opinions
Chief Justice Richard Barajas (formerly)
8th Court of Appeals in El Paso, TX
Current term ends: 12/31/08 | Next election for this seat: 2008
2008 General Election: Incumbent David Wellington Chew, unopposed
Chief Justice Steve McKeithen --> Official Bio (no photo)
9th Court of Appeals in Beaumont, TX
Current term ends 12/31/08 | Next election 2008
2008 General Elections: Incumbent Steve McKeithen, unopposed
Chief Justice James T. (Jim) Worthen --> Official Photo and Bio
12th Court of Appeals in Tyler, TX
Terms ends 12/31/08 | Next election: 2008
2008 Election: Incumbent Jim Worthen, unopposed
Chief Justice Adele Hedges --> Official Bio on Court web site
Opinions by Hon. Hedges
14th Court of Appeals in Houston, TX
Term ends 12/31/08
Result: Incumbent Republican Chief Adele Hedges
Survives Election Contest by Narrow Margin
2008 General Election lineup:
Republican Incumbent Chief Adele O. Hedges Campaign site
Democratic Challenger in 2008 Election: Attorney Joe W. Beverly -> Campaign web site
Adele Hedges - Incumbent REP 497,856 49.22% 796,114 50.96%
Joe W. Beverly DEM 513,608 50.77% 765,987 49.03%
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
ASSOCIATE JUSTICES OF THE TEXAS COURTS OF
APPEALS FACING ELECTIONS IN 2008
(with information on election campaigns, challengers, and links to relevant web sites
including campaign web sites of incumbents and opposing candidates)
1stCoA | First Court of Appeals in Houston (also see 14th
CoA below)
Justice Sam Nuchia (Place 3: 6-year term ending 12/31/08)
Republican Incumbent Nuchia was defeated in the 2008 Republican Primary by
Republican Challenger Ed Hubbard
2008 General Election line-up:
Result: Democrat Jim Sharp Wins Open Seat Contest
Republican candidate: Attorney Ed Hubbard
Democratic candidate: Jim Sharp
Ed Hubbard REP 485,993 47.89% 774,497 49.42%
Jim Sharp DEM 528,649 52.10% 792,630 50.57%
Justice Laura Higley | Official Photo and Profile | Recent opinions by Hon. Higley
(Place 5: 6 year term ending 12/31/08
Judicial election contest for this bench in the General Election:
Result: Republican Higley Retains Appellate Bench
Republican Incumbent Laura Carter Higley (campaign web site)
Democratic Challenger Leslie C. Taylor --> SBOT attorney profile (campaign web site)
Laura Carter Higley - Incumbent REP 500,200 49.43% 800,497 51.23%
Leslie C. Taylor DEM 511,651 50.56% 761,792 48.76%
2ndCoA | Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth
Justice Dixon W. Holman | Official Bio |
Place 2: 6 year term ending 12/31/08; next election: 2008
2008 General Election: Bill Meier, unopposed
Justice Terrie Livingston
Place 7: 6 year term ending 12/31/08; next election: 2008
2008 Election: Incumbent Terrie Livingston, unopposed
3rdCoA | Third Court of Appeals in Austin
Only race in 2008 is for Chief Justice (Current Incumbent: Hon. Ken Law)
4thCoA | Fourth Court of Appeals in San Antonio
5th CoA | Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas
Justice Mark L. Whittington
(Place 3: 6 year term ending 12/31/08; next election 2008)
2008 Election outcome: Murphy Beats Chae In Open Seat Race
Republican Mary Murphy beats Democrat Don B. Chae
Mary Murphy REP 389,489 51.19% 586,353 53.45%
Don B. Chae DEM 371,271 48.80% 510,499 46.54%
Justice David L. Bridges
(Place 6: 6 year term ending 12/31/08; next election 2008)
2008 Election Result:
Bridges Beats Hanschen, Keeps his Appellate Bench
Republican Incumbent David L. Bridges vs. David Hanschen (D)
David L. Bridges - Incumbent REP 378,293 49.86% 568,255 51.95%
David Hanschen DEM 380,319 50.13% 525,444 48.04%
Justice Kerry F. Fitzgerald
(Place 8: 6 year term ending 12/31/08; next election 2008)
2008 Election: Fitzgerald Fends off Democratic Challenger
Tina Yoo, Stays on the Appellate Bench
GOP Incumbent Kerry Fitzgerald vs. Tina Yoo, Democrat
Kerry Fitzgerald - Incumbent REP 383,202 50.42% 576,894 52.63%
Tina Yoo DEM 376,806 49.57% 519,153 47.36%
6thCoA | Sixth Court of Appeals in Texarkana
Justice Jack Carter | Official Bio |
(Place 3: 6 year term ending 12/31/08; Next election: 2008)
2008 Election: Incumbent Jack Carter (D), unopposed
7thCoA | Seventh Court of Appeals in Amarillo
8thCoA | Eight Court of Appeals in El Paso
Justice, 8th Court of Appeals District, Place 3
2008 Election Result: Lupe Rivera wins big
Kenneth R. "Kenn" Carr v. Guadalupe "Lupe" Rivera
(no campaign website found)
Kenneth R. (Kenn) Carr - Incumbent REP 43,890 35.47% 68,265 33.55%
Guadalupe "Lupe" Rivera DEM 79,838 64.52% 135,157 66.44%
9th CoA | Ninth Court of Appeals in Beaumont
10thCoA | Tenth Court of Appeals in Waco
Justice Bill Vance | Official Profile |
(Place 2: 6 year term ending 12/31/08; next election: 2008)
2008 Election outcome:
Rex Davis wipes out Democratic Opponent
contest: Rex Davis vs. Richard Ferguson (no web site found)
Rex Davis REP 131,841 63.94% 220,784 63.94%
Richard Ferguson DEM 74,344 36.05% 124,511 36.05%
11thCoA | Eleventh Court of Appeals in Eastland
Justice Rick Strange (Place 2: 6-year term ending 12/31/08; next election: 2008)
Official Biography |
Governor's Sep. 27, 2005 press release announcing appointment of Justice Strange
2008 Election: Incumbent Rick Strange, unopposed
12thCoA | Twelfth Court of Appeals in Tyler
13thCoA | Thirteenth Court of Appeals in Corpus Christi
Justice Dori Contreras Garza (Place 6: 6-year term ending 12/31/08; next election: 2008)
| Official Biography |
2008 Election outcome: Contreras Garza easily fends off
Republican Challenger
Caroline Bertuzzi vs. Incumbent Dori Contreras Garza
Caroline Bertuzzi REP 113,688 43.25% 183,014 41.63%
Dori Contreras Garza - Incumbent DEM 149,164 56.74% 256,503 58.36%
14thCoA | Fourteenth Court of Appeals in Houston
(Sister Court of First Court of Appeals, also located in Houston and hearing appeals from
the same set of counties, including Harris County, the largest jurisdiction)
Justice Kem T. Frost (Place 7: 6 year term ending 12/31/08 - Up for reelection in
2008) Official Bio and Photo | Profile and opinions by Justice Frost
Republican incumbent running for re-election
Incumbent Kem Frost Beats Democratic Challenger Martin
Siegel by narrow margin
Democratic opponent in 2008 general election campaign:
Martin J. Siegel (D)(link to campaign website) | Link to Biography on firm website
Kem Thompson Frost - Incumbent REP 493,505 48.93% 788,693 50.64%
Martin J. Siegel DEM 514,977 51.06% 768,515 49.35%
Justice Jeff Brown (Place 4: unexpired term) | Official Bio and Photo |
Campaign Website | Unofficial Profile and Links to Opinions by Justice Jeff Brown |
Appeals from Hon. Jeff Brown is District Judge - 55th District Court
Republican appointee: See News Release announcing Brown's appointment |
Place 4 Outcome: Majority of voters approves Jeff Brown's
promotion to appellate bench by Governor
Democratic candidate in 2008 contested race: Bert C. Moser (see Democratic slate)
Jeff Brown - Incumbent REP 501,576 49.69% 804,461 51.61%
Bert Moser DEM 507,643 50.30% 754,013 48.38%
Justice William Boyce (Place 6: unexpired term) | Official Bio and Picture |
Profile and Opinions of Justice Bill Boyce | Bill Boyce campaign website
Republican appointee; See Announcement of appointment by Texas Governor
Place 6 Race: Gubernatorial Appointee Bill Boyce wins narrow
victory over Democratic opponent Mary Markantonis
Democratic candidate for this bench in 2008 election: Mary M. Markantonis
(see list of Harris County Democrats' slate of court of appeals candidates
Bill Boyce - Incumbent REP 495,906 49.16% 791,693 50.82%
Mary M. Markantonis DEM 512,784 50.83% 765,931 49.17%
Follow link to Harris County (Houston) Judicial Races
|
|
|
