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| Court & Place | Democrat | Republican | Notes/Other |
|---|---|---|---|
Audra Riley (D-Dallas) | Kevin Yeary* (R-Austin)
| Candidate (L) | |
| Campaign Mailing Address | P.O. Box 360124 Dallas, Texas 75336 | Judge Yeary Campaign PO Box 61 Wimberley, Texas 78676 | |
| Campaign Phone | |||
| Campaign Website | judgerileycampaign.com | judgeyeary.com | |
| Social Media Links | |||
| Bar Card Number | 24043291 | 00000012 | |
| Current Occupation | Judge Criminal District Court No. 3 | Judge, Criminal Court of Appeals Place 4 since 2015 | |
| Years of Texas Residency | Native Texan | ||
| JD School & Year | Texas Southern University 2006 | St. Mary's University 1991 | |
| Other Education | Sam Houston State BA Criminal Justice | St. Mary's University | |
| Year of State Bar Licensure | 2006 | 1991 | |
| Legal Experience - Nonjudicial | Dallas County District Attorney's Office | Assistant Criminal District Attorney, Bexar County 1998–2014 | |
| Jury Trial Experience | |||
| Appellate Judicial Experience | Criminal Court of Appeals, Judge since 2014 | ||
| Other Judicial Experience | |||
| Board Certifications | |||
| Courts Admitted | US Supreme Court Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Texas Western District Court | ||
| Honors and Awards | |||
| Prior Elections | 2024 General Election Criminal District Court #3 Unopposed | 2020 Texas General Election Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 4 54.8% | |
| Most Recent Bar Polls | 2026 - 1839 56% | 2026 - 1467 44% | |
| Key Endorsements (Max 5) | Governor Abbott Texas Eagle Forum Texas Alliance for Life Mexican American Bar Association of Houston C Club of Houston | ||
| Judicial Philosophy (Max 250 words) | Judge Yeary believes it is the job of the Legislature and the Governor to establish policy for our state. He believes that the Judicial Department of our government should exercise restraint when called upon to interpret the law. The Judiciary must be fiercely independent, but also cautious in the exercise of its immense power. This is particularly true with regard to judges serving on high courts.
Judges should be humble, understanding that they are not all-knowing or prescient. All judicial decisions must follow the actual law, found in our statutes and our constitutions. They must be driven by principle and commitment to the truth--about what the law requires and what it does not. Judges should not allow themselves to be fooled into believing that the people have given them the power to "make law." Opinions written by Judges are not "the LAW." It is true that judicial opinions can sometimes establish "RULES of decision" that are binding on lower courts, but those opinions should never be be considered to be more authoritative than the actual text of our statutes and our constitutions.
Judges must resist the temptation to be policy makers. If the people don't like the outcomes when the law is properly understood and applied, the people can petition their Legislative and Executive representatives for change. That is how our government is designed, and that is what our constitutions demand. The courts are the wrong place to seek changes in the law. | ||
| Misc | |||
| Date Submitted by Candidate | Gathered from public sources | Gathered from public sources |
