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2018

2018

First Court of Appeals, Place 9




Peter Kelly
(Democrat)




Jennifer V. Caughey*
(Republican)



SOCIAL

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Website | Facebook | Twitter



CAMPAIGN CONTACT




Justice Jennifer Caughey Campaign
P.O. Box 271411
Houston, Texas 77277
Email



CURRENT OCCUPATION

Attorney, Kelly, Durham & Pittard, LLP
2010-present


Justice, Texas First Court of Appeals
Place 9



UNDERGRAD SCHOOL/YEAR

A.B., History
cum laude
Harvard University
Departmental Honors
1985


A.B., Princeton University
2004
Phi Beta Kappa
Shapiro Prize for Academic Excellence



JURIS DOCTOR

University of Texas School of Law
1990

Scholarly Publications Editor, Texas International Law Journal


Harvard Law
2007

Executive Editor, Journal of Law & Public Policy
Federalist Society Executive Board



YEAR STATE BAR LICENSURE

1994 (Texas)

Also licensed in New York


2008



JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE - APPELLATE




Jennifer Caughey is currently a Justice on Texas’s First Court of Appeals. She handles civil, criminal, family, and probate appeals. She has authored approximately 80 opinions, actively contributed to approximately 160 other decisions, and issued numerous other orders. She hears oral argument regularly. Her cases span a diverse docket, including matters of statutory interpretation, healthcare liability, wide-ranging criminal challenges, diverse constitutional challenges, parental termination and grandparents’ rights cases, guardianships matters, complex civil disputes, jurisdictional disputes, and various state common law claims.



JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE - OTHER




After law school, she completed two year-long judicial clerkships: (1) for Chief Judge Tymkovich on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, and (2) for Justice Cordy on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. In those roles, she saw how important it is for judges to faithfully apply the law, respect the Constitution and rule of law, and give all parties the respect they deserve.



LEGAL EXPERIENCE - NONJUDICIAL

  • Partner; Kelly, Durham & Pittard, LLP (2010-present)

  • 2014-2017: Smyser, Kaplan & Veselka, LLP. Houston, Texas. I handled a broad docket of complex civil litigation matters at the trial and appellate levels.
  • 2012–2013: Baker Botts, LLP, ​Houston, Texas. I handled a broad docket of complex civil litigation matters at the trial and appellate levels.
  • 2009–2011: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP, Washington, D.C.; Denver, Colorado. ; Summer 2006. I handled a broad docket of complex civil litigation matters at the trial and appellate levels.
  • 2008–2009: United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit​, Denver, CO. Law Clerk to the Hon. Timothy M. Tymkovich​.
  • 2007–2008: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court​, Boston, Massachusetts. Law Clerk to the Hon. Robert Cordy​.
  • Summer 2006: Kirkland & Ellis, LLP​, Washington, D.C.
  • Summer 2005: U.S. Department of Justice: Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch​. Washington, D.C.
  • Summer 2003: The White House: Presidential Writers, Office of Presidential Correspondence​, Washington, D.C.
  • Summer 2002: Office of Former President George H.W. Bush​, Houston, Texas



BOARD CERTIFICATIONS

Civil Appellate Law


None sought



COURTS ADMITTED TO

  • Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • U.S. Dist. Court, Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. Dist. Court, Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. Dist. Court, Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. Dist. Court, Western District of Texas

  • Texas
  • New York
  • Washington, D.C.
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.




HONORS & AWARDS

  • Texas Monthly Super Lawyer (2009-present)
  • Top 100 Lawyers, Houston Region (2015)

  • Super Lawyers Rising Star (2015-2018)
  • Bar Fellow
  • Federalist Society
    • Member and Former Executive Board Member
  • Graduated Princeton Phi Beta Kappa
  • Princeton's Shapiro Prize for Academic Excellence
  • Executive Editor, Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy
  • Clerkships for two appellate judges
    • state and federal


PRIOR ELECTION RESULTS

2018 Texas Democratic Primary
First Court of Appeals, Place 9
100%; unopposed

2016 Texas General Election
Fourteenth Court of Appeals, Place 9
47.57% v. Tracy E. Christopher (R)


2018 Texas Republican Primary
First Court of Appeals, Place 9
100%; unopposed



MOST RECENT BAR POLL RESULTS

542 of 1,000 votes
54.2%


458 of 1,000 votes
45.80%



KEY ENDORSEMENTS




  • Governor Greg Abbott
  • Houston Professional Firefighters Association
  • Katy Christian Magazine
  • Kelly Shackelford, President/CEO; First Liberty Institute
  • Kingwood Tea Party
  • Link Letter
  • Texas Conservative View
  • Texans for Lawsuit Reform
  • Texas Right to Life


JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY




I am a textualist and originalist who believes deeply in separation of powers, federalism, and the principle that we are governed by laws and not men. Our government is founded upon the rule of law, and judges have the critical role of applying the law as it is written to resolve disputes efficiently and fairly. Judges do not make law; legislators do. Similarly, parties--not judges--draft contracts. If judges do not apply the law as it is written (rather than as the judge may want it to be) then we cease being governed by laws and instead become governed by men. Then individuals and businesses cannot know what the law is and cannot conform their conduct. And we become untethered from democracy. Judges must ensure that laws are applied in a manner that is faithful and easily comprehensible so that litigants, lower courts, and other citizens can understand the law--and so laws, and thus the will of the people, are effectuated. Finally, I believe strongly that every case is worthy of serious respect and consideration. Each case may be the most important in the world to those litigants, and judges must afford each case appropriate time and diligence. The judge should know the law, study the record, and faithfully apply the law to the case.



OTHER INFORMATION

  • Has argued before all 14 courts of appeals in Texas
  • Current Amicus Committee Chair, Texas Trial Lawyers Association
  • Former President, Texas Trial Lawyers Association (2013-14)


INFORMATION APPROVED BY CANDIDATE ON:

Sourced from public information


12/26/2017


LAST UPDATED:

10/3/2018


10/3/2018


*Information gathered from various public sources, and may not yet be approved by the candidate.
Please send any corrections to info@tcjl.com

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