State Rep. Allison says proposed legislation seeks to address how Texas judges are selected
By: John Suayan
AUSTIN – State Rep. Steve Allison (R-San Antonio) is at the forefront of an effort to change the way how judges in the state are picked.
Allison filed House Bill 3061 with the intention of addressing “the method by which certain trial and appellate judges are selected” by way of an interim study.
“(Judges) are supposed to be fair and impartial yet we subject them to a very partisan election process,” Allison told the Southeast Texas Record. “And Texas is one of just a handful of states that still subjects … to a partisan election. There’s been increasing scrutiny of that … we need to come up with a better system.”
Allison, whose district includes northeastern Bexar County and part of San Antonio, said HB3061 will create an interim commission “to study the current system and what other options that might be available.” The commission’s recommendations “could cover a myriad of details in the bill,” he said.
According to a post on the Texans for Lawsuit Reform’s website, 34 states use what is called the Missouri Plan. That plan, which was adopted in its namesake state in 1940, consists of five key elements that include the creation of a nominating commission that compiles a list of qualified candidates who are then appointed by the governor or other authority to serve as judges. The appointed judges serve for short terms, after which they would face retention elections.
A business attorney by profession, Allison took issue with a process he says forces judicial candidates to seek campaign contributions. In addition to the likelihood of favoritism, Allison said that the campaigns could become “horribly” expensive to not just the judges but the counties.
Allison recalled Republican and Democratic sweeps in previous years, saying that “good and experienced” judges were lost. However, the so-called “Blue Wave” that placed many Democrats on the bench in Harris and Bexar counties last November did not inspire HB 3061, he said.
“I have been looking at this for a very long time,” Allison said, calling the recent Democratic gains “an unfortunate coincidence.” “It bothered me from early on, since I was a young lawyer.”
Allison expressed hope that the bill will be discussed on the floor and added he is “very confident” it will pass.
“The bribery of a judge may be the worst break of the public’s trust in government,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick of the Southern District of Texas, in a statement. “Rudy Delgado used his position to enrich himself. He didn’t just tip the scales of justice, he knocked it over with a wad of cash and didn’t look back. Delgado’s actions unfairly tarnish all his former colleagues.” Read and share: bit.ly/2xIL5BA
Guilty: Judge Rudy Delgado Convicted on All Counts in Judicial Bribery Case | Texas Lawyer
tortreform.com
The jury in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas found Delgado guilty of conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, obstruction...For more than a decade, Texas lawyers have filed thousands of lawsuits against insurers every time a severe weather event impacts the state. To calm the surge in storm-related litigation, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1774, affording insurance companies a chance to resolve a disputed claim by requiring policyholders to give insurers notice 60 days prior to filing a lawsuit. Read and share: bit.ly/2XC7Oi2
Storm attorney Eric Dick loses Hurricane Harvey trial against Houston insurance company SVIC
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For more than a decade, Texas lawyers have filed thousands of lawsuits against insurers every time a severe weather event impacts the state. To calm the surge in storm-related litigation&...The fact that a judge under indictment for accepting bribes can run for higher office and win should be a major red flag for Texans. But unfortunately, many Texans simply don’t have enough knowledge about the candidates for judicial office to make informed decisions. Many voters cast their votes for judges based on party affiliation or name recognition, since they have no knowledge of the relative merits of the candidates. Read and share the latest TLR blog: bit.ly/32v2Gv6
tortreform.com
The fact that a judge under indictment for accepting bribes can run for higher office and win should be a major red flag for Texans. But unfortunately, many Texans simply don’t have...
“The bribery of a judge may be the worst break of the public’s trust in govt. Rudy Delgado used his position to enrich himself. He didn’t just tip the scales of justice, he knocked it over with a wad of cash & didn’t look back." Read & RT: https://t.co/MrbRWPYcB3 #tortreform
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