I have been asked how have I reduced the Court’s backlog--
When I took the bench, the 18th Court had more than 2000 pending cases; substantially more than neighboring courts. As a result, I identified priority criminal cases based on the age of the case and the amount of time the accused had been in jail and set a goal of six-months to get those resolved. Maintaining two criminal jury-trial weeks a month, those cases were tried or resolved. A new priority list went out in January.
Similarly, dormant civil cases were set on a dismissal docket and older civil and family law cases have been set for status hearings, requiring scheduling orders and/or trial settings. I also instituted regular, dedicated civil jury-trial weeks, so civil cases are timely addressed and to alleviate the uncertainty associated with being set the same week as criminal cases, which take precedence.
These efforts, and an amazing staff willing to work hard with me, led to more than an 85% reduction in the backlog of cases in the 18th Court. There is much more to do. Please vote in the March 3 primary to give me a full term to work for and with the people of Johnson and Somervell County.
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I've been asked what qualifies you to be a judge?--
Governor Abbott appointed me after vetting the applicants and interviewing many.
Life Experience and Conservative Values: I have deep ties to our community as a conservative leader, business owner and employer, and most importantly as a wife, mother, and grandmother.
Legal education: With four young children, I commuted to Baylor Law and graduated with honors and concentrations in Criminal Law and Civil Litigation. I also served in editorial positions on Baylor Law Review, delving deeper into legal analysis, its application to facts, and research and writing, enhancing my education.
Legal Experience: Prior to the Governor’s appointment, I practiced law for 22 years. For two years, I clerked for a US District Judge, writing opinions for half the docket. I learned how a judge approaches issues, identifies the applicable law, applies the law to facts, and develops and writes well-reasoned opinions. This foundation led to a successful legal career, handling more than 1,000 cases, ranging from family disputes to complex business litigation. I have litigated in Courts throughout the state of Texas, including in Johnson County. I have also been serving as your District Judge of the 18th District Court for the last eight months.
I have been asked about my work in Johnson County and for Johnson County residents, prior to taking the bench. Here are some examples:
Represented Johnson County property owners in construction defect case, involving a land swap and design and construction of a bridge that failed; which settled with a substantial payment to the clients - despite being told by other attorneys that the case was not viable. (249th District Court, Johnson County)
Represented Johnson County resident in Tarrant County Probate Court, asserting “fraud on the community claims” following near concurrent death of a mother and step-father, obtained summary judgment on legal grounds.
Obtained dismissal of a case, filed against a Johnson County mother by her son, seeking ownership of a portion of her land based on several theories. (413th District Court, Johnson County)
Obtained favorable settlement of dispute for Johnson County property owners against insurer and contractor, arising out of storm damage claim. (249th District Court)
Obtained favorable resolutions for several Johnson County business owners, who had disputes with other family member owners and/or prior owners. (413th District Court and 249th District Court of Johnson County, avoided litigation in others);
Obtained a substantial settlement for a Johnson County property owner and single mother, for the loss of her home by a fire started by others. (413th District Court)
Avoided eviction in dispute between business partners over financing and payment for Johnson County homestead property owners (JP 1) and favorably settled follow-up case in 413 District Court.