(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in March. I am running these responses in the order that I receive them from the candidates. Much more information about Democratic primary candidates, including links to the interviews and judicial Q&As, can be found on Erik Manning’s spreadsheet.
Michael Adams-Hurta
1. Who are you and what are you running for?
My name is Michael Adams-Hurta. I’m a lifelong Democrat, native Houstonian, and experienced appellate attorney running for Justice on the Fourteenth Court of Appeals – Place 7.
2. What kind of cases does this court hear?
This Court hears appeals from all sorts of trial-court decisions throughout ten counties in the Houston area. It primarily hears civil cases but also hears criminal, family, juvenile, and probate appeals.
3. Why are you running for this particular bench?
As our democracy is under threat, we all need to do our part to protect it. I happen to be a full-time appellate lawyer, so the role that makes the most sense for me is to defend our rights every day from our local appellate court.
I’ve been a Democrat all my life. (Sure, I was president of my University Democrats club in
college, I regularly volunteer with voter protection efforts, and I’ve even represented local
Democratic officials on appeal against Ken Paxton… But I was first referenced on this blog over 20 years ago!). I volunteered on my first campaign when my former teacher Jim Henley ran for Congress and gave his students a “final lesson plan.” I learned then that I need to stand up for my community, especially when something is wrong. Well, in 2024, the Republican Party took control of a supermajority in each of Houston’s courts of appeals. On the 14th Court, there is no longer a single Democrat. With the president and others attempting to politicize the courts, we need more jurists ready to hold our local benches accountable.
4. What are your qualifications for this job?
I’m the only full-time appellate advocate running for this seat. In fact, I’m the only candidate in this race who is a board-certified appellate attorney — I’m Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. That credential comes with years of experience litigating in the 14th Court and other appellate courts across the country. I’ve written all or part of over 100 appellate briefs and presented oral arguments in Texas appellate courts all over the state, from El Paso to Houston to Tyler. I’ve also attended numerous trials as appellate counsel, assisting the trial teams with legal objections and helping the judge draft instructions about the law for the jury.
I have worked on all sorts of cases — including civil, criminal, and family-law lawsuits — so I have the breadth of experience necessary for the wide variety of cases this Court hears. And I’ve represented all sorts of clients, too, ranging from Texas businesses to civil-rights organizations and wrongfully terminated employees to criminal defendants.
5. Why is this race important?
Our democracy is under threat, and we need people defending our democracy in every part of Government, including the judiciary. The courts of appeals author the vast majority of precedent that guides our trial courts every day. And while most lawsuits are apolitical, you never know when a politically charged case will end up in front of a panel of judges. On the 14th Court, therefore, we need the balance of a progressive voice that the court currently lacks.
6. Why should people vote for you in March?
I’m the most qualified candidate and the best candidate to unseat the Republican incumbent in November. I also happen to be the youngest candidate — in fact younger than any appellate judge in Texas — so I’ll bring an energetic, modern, and progressive perspective to the Court. I look forward to blockwalking and phonebanking for the entire ticket once nominated. If elected, I will follow the law where it compels me, and I’ll make it my mission to hold the Court to account for its most basic job: interpreting and applying the law as it was intended, by and for the People.
PREVIOUSLY:
Judge Jim Kovach, Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 2
Jimmie L. J. Brown, Jr, 270th Civil District Court
Ebony Williams, Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 2
Julia Maldonado, 183rd Criminal District Court
Judge James Horwitz, Harris County Probate Court # 4
Sarah Beth Landau, Chief Justice of the Fourteenth Court of Appeals
Judge Leah Shapiro, 315th Juvenile District Court
Judge Tanya Garrison, 157th Civil District Court
James Hu, Harris County Criminal Court at Law #14
Jorge Garcia Diaz, Harris County Criminal Court at Law #7
Judge Andrew Wright, Harris County Criminal Court at Law #7
Gordon Goodman, Supreme Court Justice, Place 7
Rustin Foroutan, Harris County Criminal Court at Law #7
Judge Josh Hill, 232nd Criminal District Court
Judge Kristen Hawkins, Supreme Court Justice, Place 7
Katie Wilson, 183rd Criminal District Court
Good luck, Michael!