Candidates for Fort Worth area family court judge, District 324 on Nov. 8 ballot
Beth Poulos
Political party (if applicable): Republican
Age as of November 8, 2022: 68
Campaign website: poulosforjudge.com
Occupation: Attorney - Associate Judge
Education: Bachelor of Arts from UTA - Juris Doctor from SMU
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought): No
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Military Service, Many charitable contributions, Board member of several political clubs, Board member of Arlington Bar Association, Member of Mansfield Garden Club
Who are your top three campaign contributors? Jim Mueller, Rob McAngus, Metroplex Republican Women PAC
What is the most important distinction between you and your opponent(s)? Experience is the most important distinction. I have practiced family law for over 30 years, I have been board certified in family law for 17 years, and I’ve been a family law judge for 16 years. My opponent has none of these important prerequisites.
What are the three biggest issues in this race? There are no conflicting issues in this race that have been the focus of campaign rhetoric. If I were to list the issues I believe should be addressed, it would be docket control, administrative efficiency, and the relative disparity of experience between the candidates.
Crystal Gayden
Political party (if applicable): Democrat
Age as of November 8, 2022: 41
Campaign website: www.crystalforjudge.com
Occupation: Attorney
Education: BS - University of Houston - Downtown; JD - Texas Wesleyan School of Law
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought): No
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Currently I serve on the Board of Legal Aid of Northwest Texas and have since 2017 and each year I offer pro bono services that clients who are unable to afford a private attorney; Former President of the L. Clifford Davis Legal Association and through my leadership in 2016 the Annual Expunction Clinic was initiated. These efforts have afforded thousands of Tarrant County residents the opportunity to have their criminal records cleared allowing them better living and economic opportunities.
Who are your top three campaign contributors? Pat Ray, Lantis Roberts, Chreshaun Morrow
What is the most important distinction between you and your opponent(s)? I believe the most important distinction is my deeply rooted experience in Tarrant County and understanding the diverse needs of families across the county. It is crucial that we have judges with the necessary experience and skillsets to successfully do the job. But we also need judges with a deeper understanding of the people they are serving in Tarrant County. We have far to many examples of judges who lack any connection to all residents of Tarrant County and how that undermines the trust in our judicial system.
What are the three biggest issues in this race? First, and most crucial issue, is restoring trust and faith in our judicial system in Tarrant County. This past few months the media has demonstrated the growing disconnect between those in judicial positions and the diverse communities that makeup Tarrant County. It is paramount that we have judges who understand that they are elected to serve all residents of Tarrant County and to administer the law fairly and impartially to everyone.
Second, we need a family court judge that will focus on supporting strong families by ensuring that families that need support, tools and resources to be good parents, are provided with those tools. Strong families are the foundation of strong communities.
Finally, we need judges with the experience, skillset, and a proven record of working with families across the diverse communities that make up Tarrant County. To help ensure that we have community trust in our courts, we must have judges that can bring all three aspects to the courtroom.
This story was originally published October 23, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
