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2018

2018

First Court of Appeals, Place 8




Richard Hightower
(Democrat)




Michael C. Massengale*
(Republican)



SOCIAL

Website | Facebook | Twitter


Website | Facebook | Twitter



CAMPAIGN CONTACT




Justice Michael Massengale Campaign
P.O. Box 684281
Austin, Texas 78768



CURRENT OCCUPATION

Attorney & Mediator
Richard F. Hightower PC


Justice, 1st Court of Appeals
Place 7
2009 - present



UNDERGRAD SCHOOL/YEAR

B.A. English
Baylor University
1978

B.A. Government
Dartmouth College
1994



JURIS DOCTOR

Baylor Law School
1980

Notes and Comments Editor, Baylor Law Review


University of Texas School of Law
with honors
1997



YEAR STATE BAR LICENSURE

1981


1997



JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE - APPELLATE




Justice, First Court of Appeals
2009-present



JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE - OTHER





LEGAL EXPERIENCE - NONJUDICIAL

  • Richard F. Hightower PC (2000-present); Of Counsel,
    Oaks, Hartline & Daly
  • Partner; Brown McCarroll and Oaks Hartline, LLP (1986-99)
  • Sharp, Ward, Price, and Hightower (1981-86)

Former partner of Baker Botts L.L.P. in litigation department. Primarily practiced commercial litigation representing plaintiffs and defendants, including disputes involving mergers and acquisitions, fiduciary duties, securities, fraudulent transfer, and antitrust. Also handled a broad scope of electric utility matters, including defense of personal injury and property damage suits. Pro bono work in a variety of areas including consumer protection counseling and other advice to hurricane victims, representation of nonprofit organizations threatened with tax foreclosures, and various constitutional law matters.

  • 2-year clerkship, U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Harold R. DeMoss, Jr. (1997-99)

BOARD CERTICATIONS


Criminal Trial Advocate
National Board of Trial Advocacy (1999)


Civil Appellate Law



COURTS ADMITTED TO

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Dist. Court, Eastern Dist. of Texas
  • U.S. Dist. Court, Southern Dist. of Texas

  • Texas (all state courts)
  • Supreme Court of Texas
  • U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • U.S. Dist. Court, Eastern Dist. of Texas
  • U.S. Dist. Court, Northern Dist. of Texas
  • U.S. Dist. Court, Southern Dist. of Texas
  • U.S. Dist. Court, Dist. of Colorado


HONORS & AWARDS

  • AV Preeminent rating, Martindale Hubbell
  • Super Lawyer, Texas Monthly Magazine (2004)

  • Twice acknowledged in the “Big Suits” section of The American Lawyer for trial victories (January 2006 and June 2009
  • Named by Law & Politics as a “Texas Rising Star” (2004-2010)
  • Twice appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas to serve on its Permanent Judicial Commission on Children, Youth & Families
  • Houston Bar Association President’s Award for Outstanding Service (2012)
  • Order of the Coif. Outstanding Editor Award from Texas Law Review
  • Received endowed presidential scholarship at University of Texas School of Law
  • Eagle Scout



PRIOR ELECTION RESULTS

2018 Texas Democratic Primary
First Court of Appeals, Place 8
100%; unopposed


2018 Texas Republican Primary
First Court of Appeals, Place 8
100%; unopposed

2012 Texas General Election
First Court of Appeals, Place 8
53.70% v. Nile Copeland (D)
Largest margin of victory of any of the 5 contested races for the First Court that year

2012 Texas Republican Primary
100%; unopposed



MOST RECENT BAR POLL RESULTS

584 of 1,143 votes
51.09%


559 of 1,143 votes
48.91%



KEY ENDORSEMENTS

  • Tejano Democrats
  • Texas Coalition of Black Democrats (Harris Co)
  • Plumbers Local Union 68
  • CWA Local 6222
  • AFL-CIO COPE
  • Area 5 Democrats

  • Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
  • Texas Home School Coalition Association
  • Texas Conservative View PAC
  • Former Texas Supreme Court Justice Scott Brister
  • Former Courts of Appeals Justices Jim Moseley & Paul Pressler
  • Dr. John Coppedge
  • George Strake
  • TEXPAC - Texas Medical Association PAC


JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY




Judges must be independent and the courts must be fair to all litigants. The role of a judge is to neutrally apply the law to each case. Judges must be actively engaged in their work, fearlessly enforcing the federal and state constitutions and safeguarding the rights of citizens. But constitutional law must not judicially expanded to override legislative policy judgments. The judge must not manipulate legal doctrines to undermine statutes—and likewise must not stretch statutes beyond their text to advance the judge’s policy preference. This is what it means to avoid “legislating from the bench.” The judge puts no thumb on the scale of justice. Judges must serve with humility and be constantly vigilant that they do not overstep their role. Texas deserves to have well-qualified, hard-working judges who actively practice this understanding of judicial restraint—particularly on our Supreme Court.In addition, I believe in that judges have an ethical responsibility to hear and decide all assigned matters except those in which disqualification is required or recusal is appropriate. Judges have as much of an obligation not to step down from a case when there is no reason to do so as they have to do so when there is a reason.



INFORMATION APPROVED BY CANDIDATE ON:

Sourced from public information


Sourced from public information



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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