Meet the Democrats running for Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court
The Star-Telegram sent questionnaires to all candidates. Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
Judge Amy Clark Meachum
Occupation: Presiding Judge, 201st District Court, Travis County (2011-present) Civil Presiding Judge, Travis County, for all civil and family courts (2019-present)
Age: 44
Website: www.AmyMeachum.com
Public offices you’ve held or run for, with years: After winning a contested Democratic primary in Travis County in 2010 for my current office, I ran for reelection unopposed in 2014 and 2018.
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: No.
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: I have been sued twice by a vexatious litigant. Both cases were dismissed. I have no other lawsuits or bankruptcies.
Why are you seeking this office?:
It is time for a new generation of judicial thought leaders to bring much needed balance to the all-Republican Supreme Court of Texas. Texas has never elected a woman chief justice to its highest civil court, and I am proud to be the first woman to ever run for this office. We need a system of justice that respects the Constitution, protects the vital role of citizen juries, and addresses the economic barriers that too often prevent women, persons of color, and working families from seeking and obtaining justice. We need to elect judges who put public service over special interests.
What would your top 3 priorities be?:
1) Honoring the Constitution, the rule of law and standing up for the integrity and fairness of the judiciary. 2) Addressing the economic barriers that too often prevent working families, persons of color and women from seeking and obtaining justice in our court system. We need to look for ways to achieve real criminal and civil justice reform and ensure we are not penalizing anyone for simply being poor. 3) Updating and Revising the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. The ethics rules governing Texas lawyers are 30 years out of date. Texas last adopted major rule changes in 1989. By contrast the ABA has amended the Model Rules almost 100 times since then.
Why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?:
When you compare my nearly decade of judicial experience to my primary opponent’s one year, any reasonable person will conclude that I am the more qualified and experienced candidate. The poll conducted by the State Bar of Texas was released earlier this week, and the lawyers preferred me over my primary opponent by 1779 votes to 326 votes. My record shows a decade of standing up for the values of fairness, equality and justice under the law. As the first woman to run for this position in 184 years of Texas history, I am making a statement for women in the law in 2020.
Hon. Jerry Zimmerer
Occupation: Justice on the 14th Court of Appeals, sitting in Houston Texas.
Age: 64 years
Website: www.JerryForJustice.com
Public offices you’ve held or run for, with years: 1994-1996 Sought office for District Court and Appellate Court respectively; Elected to Houston Court of Appeals in 2019.
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: No.
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: As an attorney, I was involved in a number of lawsuits both as legal counsel and as a party, primarily for attorney fees. No cases ever ruled against me.
Why are you seeking this office?:
As the most educated Judge in the State of Texas, I see a need for balance on the Supreme Court. I believe I hold more law degrees than any other judge in the state of Texas, including a JD, and two LL.M degrees (Health Law and International Law), completed my internship at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, am credentialed by the AA White Institute in both domestic and International commercial arbitration; it is not the education or credentials but the broad legal and life experiences (Please see website JerryFoirJustice.com) that set me apart as the most qualified.
What would your top 3 priorities be?
Restoring balance to the Supreme Court: 1) Ensuring ALL Texans get a fair shake in our court system 2) Improving technology that supports our courts and law enforcement 3) Improving Processes, Reporting and Controls to make our legal system better.
Why should voters choose you over your opponent(s)?
Unlike my opponent, I have no ties to a lobbyist or their big political contributions nor do I have a background in big plaintiff lawsuits with drug companies. I prefer to focus on the facts and law of each case. I consider the role of a Judge as an impartial arbitrator of the facts and law. Because I rule impartially my opponent has criticized my rulings as partisan. Depending on the law and the facts I may rule for one side or the other, without regard to which one is Plaintiff or Defendant, or if the attorney is Democrat or Republican.
This story was originally published February 13, 2020 at 11:25 AM.
