Thanks for the questions. The 5th Court of Appeals is certainly a spot most people don't know much about...even lawyers.
It covers Grayson, Collin, Dallas, Rockwall, Hunt, and Kaufman Counties. The court is made up of 13 Justices who hear appeals on both Criminal and Civil cases. 8 of these Justice positions are up for election this year. 2 are open seats (place 11 and place 12). I am running for one of the open seats - Place 11.
The reason the Court is so important is that it covers almost 4 million people and is the busiest appellate court in the state. Basically, it is the court of last resort for most criminal cases and civil matters. Justices must know what happens in a courtroom when deciding whether or not a trial court judge got a call right or wrong. Think of the appellate court as the replay booth for the refs on the ground.
Since very few cases are taken up by our TX supreme courts, it's up to the "local" court to keep any rogue judges in check and to affirm the decisions of the wise ones. It has been an all Republican court for quite some time and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future as the surrounding counties typically make up for all of the democrat votes from Dallas County. But the trend has been going the other way and the liberals have targeted the court as a possible "steal" in Texas. The last election involving some of the Justices on the court was closer than we would like.
I'm gonna go ahead and assume I'm talking to a conservative crowd on here and explain that it's important we keep the court in Republican hands. It not only provides stability but also allow us to have a group of judges who do not legislate from the bench and stick to the law when making the decisions.
I believe I'm qualified for the court because of my trial experience and because of my extensive legal practice. While I'm Board Certified in criminal law and an expert in the field, I also have experience with juvenile matters, civil cases, probate cases, family law cases, and even more complex cases. These are the types of cases the court has to make decisions on each day. Knowing what to do in the courtroom and how to do it is imperative knowledge. With over 100 cases gone to trial in my career, I have the knowledge and experience to make the right calls as a Justice on the Court.
The Court has to be efficient and I know my military training as a JAG in the Air Force (which I still do each year as a reservist) and my leadership skills will be an asset to the court. I can help employ the best practices to ensure this Court remains the one by which all others are measured.
Lastly, I believe my conservative beliefs and experiences will be an asset to the Court for the next 6-12 years. The liberals are trying to change our justice system and I worry about where it will be when my kids are graduating high school. I want my experiences of being born and raised in a Communist country, waiting in line for bread and meat, and seeing tanks roll down my street to be an example of why we can never let our guard down. It's why I believe the things I do and why I'm trying to serve the country that has given me so much.
here's to hoping I earn y'all's vote
Donate if you can!Here's a couple articles about me..
Lawyer Finds Path to ServiceKeep America Safe - Tom Nowak
