by Staff | Feb 14, 2014 | Uncategorized
February 14, 2014 Dear Fellow Texan, I am happy to announce that Senator Ted Cruz has endorsed my campaign for reelection. Senator Cruz has been outspoken in advocating that the U.S. Constitution should be America’s guidepost. Since Texans sent him to the U.S. Senate, he has fought tirelessly to advance the principles of justice and freedom on which our nation was founded. When Senator Cruz was Solicitor General of Texas, he saw the Texas Supreme Court first-hand in many cases. Because he has had a unique opportunity to watch the Court at work, I am especially honored that he has expressed confidence in me as Chief Justice. As a Justice for many years, and now as Chief Justice, I have worked to help ensure that the Supreme Court’s decisions are fair and in the mainstream of American law. I am privileged to lead a Court that is respected for its commitment to the rule of law and access to justice for all. Texas voters can vote in the Republican Primary starting on Tuesday, February 18th through Friday, February 28th. The primary election is on March 4th. I hope that you will join with Senator Cruz in voting for me. God Bless Texas, Chief Justice Nathan Hecht Pol. adv. paid for by Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht Campaign, P.O. Box 776, Austin, TX 78767, in voluntary compliance with the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act and the Fair Campaign Practices Act. This email was sent to carol@tcjl.com. To unsubscribe to this publication, please click...
by Staff | Feb 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
February 12, 2014 (http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/opinion/take-time-to-research-judicial-candidates-before-c/ndK7K/) by Wallace Jefferson, Lisa Kaufman – Special to the American Statesman The judiciary plays a vital role in our democracy, yet when we arrive at the ballot box, many of us have little knowledge about the candidates for judicial office. This information deficit is pronounced in large urban areas like Austin, where as many as 16 judicial races appear on the ballot. Rather than wrestle with this maze of judges, many voters simply skip the section of the ballot devoted to judges. For example, in the 2012 general election, nearly 59 percent of registered Texas voters cast a ballot for a presidential candidate, but only 44 percent voted for a candidate on the Court of Criminal Appeals, which is the court that literally decides life and death. Judges often have a bigger impact on the lives of average Texans than even the president or the governor. Our judges ensure that the law is fairly imposed on our citizens; they decide who will have custody of your children; they guard against wrongful attempts to foreclose on your home. A judge’s signature on an order can end your business or save it. We often hear about the importance of our constitutional rights. They mean nothing if there is no impartial tribunal standing guard. So, even though it’s not easy, we must take the time to elect qualified judges. Courts exist not to perpetuate the judicial branch for its own sake but to ensure that the conflicts human beings encounter, whether criminal or civil, are adjudicated in a neutral forum, at an efficient price, producing fair outcomes. The...
by Staff | Feb 5, 2014 | Uncategorized
March 4, 2014 Primary Election Edition Click HERE for League of Women Voters of Texas Voters Guide www.lwvtexas.org...
by Staff | Feb 4, 2014 | Uncategorized
http://c3.thevoterguide.org/v/dallas14/build.do About this Voter Guide Our Voter Guide for the March 4 primary election allows you to compare candidates in key contested races and their responses to issues side-by-side and to create your own ballot, which you can print or e-mail. The guide was put together by the editorial board ofThe Dallas Morning News, whose members crafted the questionnaires for key offices up for election. The guide focuses on issues that board members believe are of greatest significance to voters....
by Staff | Jan 31, 2014 | Uncategorized
January 30, 2014 (http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/20140130-editorial-we-recommend-hecht-in-gop-primary-for-texas-supreme-court-chief-justice.ece?nclick_check=1) Editorial: We recommend Hecht in GOP primary for Texas Supreme Court chief justice We recommend incumbent Nathan Hecht over challenger Robert Talton in the GOP primary for Texas Supreme Court chief justice. Not only has Hecht shown intellectual clarity in legal opinions, he also has been a leader in improving court administration and in obtaining adequate funding for lawyers to represent indigent Texans. A conservative jurist, Hecht has served on the court since the late 1980s — the longest-serving member in the court’s history — and was appointed chief justice last year after the retirement of Wallace Jefferson. The one blemish on his record: Hecht, 64, incurred a fine related to a discounted legal bill from his successful fight against ethics charges several years ago. He continues to appeal that fine. After nearly five years in the legal system, this issue needs to be resolved. Talton, a 68-year-old former state legislator, fell way short in his efforts to make a case for change. He has earned a reputation for being ideologically rigid and combative, and he failed in his interview to offer specifics to back up his many assertions. For example, he says the Texas Supreme Court overturns an excessively large percentage of jury decisions but declined to provide details. The winner of this primary will face Democratic opposition in November. This is one in a series of 50 Dallas Morning News candidate recommendations in the upcoming primary elections. Voter Guide: Compare candidates’ answers to questionnaires tailored to their race. Dallasnews.com/voterguide Last day to register to vote: Feb. 3 (more at votetexas.gov) Early voting starts: Feb. 18 Early voting ends: Feb....
by Staff | Jan 30, 2014 | Uncategorized
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 29, 2014 Contact: Meg Meo, mmeo@echristianpr.com or Lia Pette, lpette@echristianpr.com 512-472-9599 Texas Civil Justice League Releases Video as Part of Statewide Campaign to Increase Voter Participation in Judicial Races AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Civil Justice League (TCJL) has released a new video of former Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Phillips discussing the importance of electing qualified judges in Texas. The video is part of the TCJL statewide advocacy campaign to increase voter participation in judicial races. The organization, which advocates for a fair and balanced judicial system in Texas, is launching a voter education effort aimed at increasing awareness throughout the state about the importance of electing qualified judges. The campaign will initially focus on the upcoming March primaries and will include efforts to educate Texans about the importance of judicial races in addition to providing information about the various candidates who are running. Click here to view the video. For more information about judicial races in Texas, visit www.texasjudges.org, a TCJL website that provides information about the state’s judicial system and candidates running in judicial races. About the Texas Civil Justice League Founded in 1986, the Texas Civil Justice League (TCJL) advocates for a fair and balanced judicial system in Texas. The Austin-based group is the oldest and largest state legal reform organization in the nation, with membership comprised of corporate businesses, law firms, professional and trade associations, health care providers and individual...
