by Staff | Jan 27, 2014 | Uncategorized
January 24, 2014 Contact: Osler McCarthy, staff attorney/public information 512.463.1441 or click for email Texas Supreme Court advisory AT 25 YEARS AND 26 DAYS, CHIEF JUSTICE HECHT MARKS HISTORY AS LONGEST-SERVING JUSTICE Texas’ longest-serving appellate judge, Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht, celebrates a new milestone Sunday: longest-serving justice in state Supreme Court history. That record had been held by the late Chief Justice Joe R. Greenhill, who served 25 years and 25 days on the Court until his retirement in October 1982. Chief Justice Greenhill, who died in February 2011, served as a justice for 9,156 days. “To have served the people of Texas as a member of the Supreme Court for a quarter century, as long as Chief Justice Greenhill did, is truly an honor,” Chief Justice Hecht said. “Now as chief justice, I am privileged to lead a Court that is respected for its commitment to the rule of law and access to justice for all.” Hecht, appointed to lead the Court in October, was first elected justice in November 1988 and took his seat January 1, 1989. Before his election, he served on the Dallas Court of Appeals for two years and, before that, on the 95th District Court in Dallas County for more than five. Sunday marks his 9,157th day on the Supreme Court. http://www.justicenathanhecht.com/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chief-Justice-Nathan-Hecht/203968376332519...
by Carol Sims | Jan 20, 2014 | Uncategorized
Join the TCJL Campaign to Elect Qualified Judges! The Texas Civil Justice League (TCJL) has launched a statewide voter education effort to increase awareness about the importance of electing—and re-electing!—qualified judges. As Texans, we get to elect our judges and that is a big responsibility. TCJL is urging people to do their homework, exercise their democratic right and responsibility to vote, and to vote for good people who make great judges. Several short videos featuring prominent Texans are being created to educate citizens about the judicial system and the profound impact judges can have on their daily lives. Click on the picture below to view one of the videos, which features former Texas Supreme Court Justice Harriet O’Neill. Voter Campaign Announcement TCJL announced the statewide campaign by releasing the following press release earlier today. Texas Civil Justice League Announces Statewide Campaign to Improve Voter Turnout for Judicial Elections Voter Participation Drops Significantly for Judicial Races Compared to Other Higher-Profile Races The Texas Civil Justice League (TCJL) has announced a 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. “Many Texans don’t understand how important it is to educate themselves on the qualifications of those who run in judicial races so that they can vote for the most qualified candidates,” John Fainter, chair of the TCJL board of directors, said. “In reality, a judge can have a major, direct influence on a citizen—perhaps more than any other elected official—including making decisions that...
by Staff | Jan 17, 2014 | Uncategorized
January 17, 2014 (http://www.quorumreport.com/index.cfm) by Harvey Kronberg Pool had argued there were defects in Brown’s application The Texas Supreme Court on Friday declined to hear the case of a Republican primary challenger to Justice Jeff Brown for Place 6. The challenger, Joe Pool, had tried to make the case that Brown should be removed from the ballot because there were fundamental problems with his application. Specifically, Pool’s attorney Buck Wood said that Brown’s campaign had not collected enough valid signatures from around the state’s 14 appeals court districts as required by law. The Supreme Court declined to get involved after a District Court Judge in Travis County ruled against Pool earlier this month. Read the Full...
by Carol Sims | Jan 9, 2014 | Uncategorized
Texas appellate judges have to be absolutely independent of political pressures. Cases should be decided on the facts and the law, not on politics or the latest press. Study the candidates carefully to satisfy yourself that the people you help elect measure up to the very highest ethical and professional standards. Take a good look at how the candidates measure up on key points: Legal credentials; Independence; Fairness and impartiality; Respect of their peers. Texas courts that merit our confidence and trust are our best assurance that we will be governed by a legal system rooted in traditions of fair play. A court with integrity and quality beyond question assures a level playing field for all...
by Staff | Jan 8, 2014 | Uncategorized
January 8, 2014 Contact: Matt Mackowiak 512-423-6116 Justice Brown Statement on Joe Pool, Jr’s Failed Lawsuit http://www.justicejeffbrown.com/ https://www.facebook.com/JusticeBrown...
by Staff | Jan 7, 2014 | Uncategorized
January 6, 2014 (http://www.statesman.com/news/news/judge-supreme-court-justice-can-remain-on-ballot/ncdkx/) By Chuck Lindell American-Statesman Staff A Travis County judge on Monday declined to remove Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Brown from the Republican primary ballot over alleged defects to his ballot application. Brown’s primary opponent, Dripping Springs lawyer Joe Pool, sued to remove Brown’s name after state Republican officials refused to modify the ballot, saying Brown had met all requirements to appear in the primary. Pool argued that Brown failed to collect the required 50 signatures from registered voters in each of the state’s 14 court of appeals districts because defects — including pages that were incomplete or were affirmed by a notary whose commission had expired — required certain petitions to be invalidated. Several hours after hearing arguments and testimony in a morning hearing, District Judge Amy Clark Meachum announced that she would not grant Pool’s request for a temporary injunction. She did not indicate the reason but said, in a letter to lawyers, that an order will be prepared and distributed in the future. Brown is facing his first election as an incumbent on the state’s highest civil court after his appointment by Gov. Rick Perry in September. He replaced Justice Nathan Hecht, who now serves as the court’s chief justice. http://www.justicejeffbrown.com/ https://www.facebook.com/JusticeBrown...
