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First Court of Appeals, Place 9
 Peter Kelly (Democrat) |  Jennifer V. Caughey* (Republican) |
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SOCIAL |
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CAMPAIGN CONTACT | |
Justice Jennifer Caughey Campaign P.O. Box 271411 Houston, Texas 77277 |
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CURRENT OCCUPATION |
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Attorney, Kelly, Durham & Pittard, LLP 2010-present | Justice, Texas First Court of Appeals Place 9 |
UNDERGRAD SCHOOL/YEAR |
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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 |
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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 |
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1994 (Texas) Also licensed in New York | 2008 |
JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE - APPELLATE |
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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. |
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JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE - OTHER |
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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. |
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LEGAL EXPERIENCE - NONJUDICIAL |
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BOARD CERTIFICATIONS |
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Civil Appellate Law | None sought |
COURTS ADMITTED TO |
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HONORS & AWARDS |
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PRIOR ELECTION RESULTS |
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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 |
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542 of 1,000 votes 54.2% | 458 of 1,000 votes 45.80% |
KEY ENDORSEMENTS |
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JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY |
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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. |
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OTHER INFORMATION |
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INFORMATION APPROVED BY CANDIDATE ON: |
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LAST UPDATED: |
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Please send any corrections to info@tcjl.com |
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