Tag Archives: judicial races

Wallace Jefferson is still going on about judicial elections

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

In an interview in The Atlantic, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson rides his favorite hobbyhorse of partisan judicial elections. I’ve been talking about this for a long time. And I am not the first one. Republican or Democrat … Continue reading →

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Time is running out to undo Pratt’s mass dismissals

Posted on April 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Remember when now-former Judge Denise Pratt dismissed hundreds of cases at the end of 2013 without notice? Since her abrupt resignation last month, other Family Court judges have been trying to clean up the mess she left behind. This includes … Continue reading →

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Pratt Mess gets messier

Posted on April 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

How much worse can it get? Hundreds of divorce, child support and custody cases dating back to 2012 will have to be revisited – and possibly sent back to trial – as a court administrator sorts out what he called … Continue reading →

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How can we miss you if you won’t go away?

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Denise Pratt is a gift that keeps on giving. Denise Pratt may not be gone just yet. Two days after announcing her immediate resignation as presiding judge of the 311th family District Court – and the suspension of her re-election … Continue reading →

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Cleaning up Pratt’s mess

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s up to the other judges now. The administrative judge for Harris County’s nine family courts said Monday it could take months to sort out the mess left behind in the 311th family court following the abrupt resignation of its … Continue reading →

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Pratt resigns

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good riddance. Under investigation by Harris County prosecutors for dismissing hundreds of cases without notice, embattled family court judge Denise Pratt resigned Friday, abruptly ending her re-election bid. The freshman Republican jurist campaigned as a conservative advocate for children and … Continue reading →

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Still more from the Pratt files

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

What a mess. Embattled family court judge Denise Pratt, under investigation again this year by the Harris County District Attorney’s office, was removed from five more cases on Thursday by a visiting senior judge who criticized the freshman jurist’s recent … Continue reading →

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Primary results: Harris County

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The big news here is that there were no surprises on the Democratic side, in particular no unpleasant surprises. By far the best news was that Kim Ogg easily bested Lloyd Oliver in the primary for DA, with over 70% … Continue reading →

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Kirkland v Fleming goes national

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Lisa Falkenberg writes the followup column on George Fleming and his repeat attempt to underwrite a campaign challenge to Steven Kirkland that I figured she’d write. Fleming’s contributions to a political action committee called Moving Texas Forward – $75,000 from … Continue reading →

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Revisiting George Fleming

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Lisa Falkenberg catches up with an old friend. Trial lawyer George Fleming was calm and gracious when he took questions back in 2012, insisting that his bankrolling of a respected judge’s no-name opponent had nothing to do with his own … Continue reading →

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DA investigating Judge Pratt again

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. Two months after a grand jury cleared embattled state District Judge Denise Pratt of accusations she had tampered with court records, the Harris County District Attorney’s office again is looking into the family court jurist. Houston … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: The remaining judicial races

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron finishes off the contested judicial primaries. 246th Family District Court: Julia Maldonado In a race between two qualified candidates, we encourage voters to go with Julia Maldonado. Her goals of a quicker docket and a more welcoming staff … Continue reading →

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Complaint #3 against Judge Pratt

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Greg Enos does not give up, y’all. With just days before early voting begins in the GOP primary, Webster family lawyer Greg Enos has filed a third criminal complaint against embattled family court Judge Denise Pratt with the Harris County … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Chron for Alameel

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Chronicle makes a nice endorsement of David Alameel for the Democratic nomination for Senate. David Alameel isn’t your usual political candidate. Most big money political donors don’t start like Alameel: a gas station attendant and farm laborer. But … Continue reading →

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Indictments in petition forgery case

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Whoa. Four political campaign workers have been indicted by a Harris County Grand Jury in the wake of allegations of election fraud in a Harris County Justice of the Peace race, first reported by Local 2 News in January. The … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: George Barnstone

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

(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 … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Barbara Stalder

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

(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 … Continue reading →

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January campaign finance reports for Harris County candidates

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

In our previous episode, we looked at the campaign finance reports for Democratic statewide candidates. Today, let’s have a look at the reports for candidates for countywide office in Harris County. I’m not going to get down to the Constable … Continue reading →

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Petition problems

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Every election cycle there are fights over who really did or didn’t qualify for the ballot. This one is shaping up to be a doozy. Three lawsuits over alleged ballot irregularities involving Harris County judicial candidates will be heard by … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Julia Maldonado

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

(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 … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Steven Kirkland

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

(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 … Continue reading →

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Another complaint filed against Judge Pratt

Posted on January 18, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Pretty much needed to be one. Embattled family court Judge Denise Pratt is the subject of another criminal complaint by Webster family lawyer Greg Enos, accusing her of breaking the law by signing orders saying she had given prior notice … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Allecia Pottinger

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

(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 … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Bruce Steffler

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

(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 … Continue reading →

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More from the Pratt files

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This is just bizarre. Since being cleared last month by a grand jury for backdating records, a family court judge has quietly dismissed hundreds of cases, effectively nullifying a bevy of child support obligations and custody arrangements she previously made … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Jim Evans

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

(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 … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Sandra Peake

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

(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 … Continue reading →

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What is the sound of one politician switching?

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It depends. When Lawrence Meyers won a seat on the statewide Court of Criminal Appeals in 1992, he was the first Republican elected to the state’s highest criminal court. This month he made history again. After switching parties, Meyers, who … Continue reading →

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Judge Pratt gets no-billed

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Harris County Grand Jury “No Bills” Judge Denise Pratt “We are pleased that the grand jury agrees with us that there’s absolutely no evidence that Judge Pratt tampered with court documents or did anything illegal,” says her … Continue reading →

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Judge Pratt update

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The most embattled Family Court judge in Harris County is still on the ballot, in case you were wondering. Embattled state District Court Judge Denise Pratt, accused of falsifying court records to cover up tardy rulings, intends to remain on … Continue reading →

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Final filings: We have a statewide Democrat

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Boy, I didn’t see this coming. Longtime Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Lawrence “Larry” Meyers announced Monday that he is leaving the Republican Party to run as a Democrat for the Texas Supreme Court. Meyers, of Fort Worth, filed … Continue reading →

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Filing deadline today

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Before I get into the details of who has or hasn’t filed for what, I have a bone to pick with this AP story. Perhaps what the candidate filings reveal most is the relative strength and depth of the political … Continue reading →

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Piling on Judge Pratt

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Boy, an awful lot of lawyers have it in for Judge Denise Pratt, and they wrote all about it in a letter sent to other lawyers asking them to call on her to resign. The letter, signed by 32 prominent … Continue reading →

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2014 Democratic lineup updates

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

In honor of Peggy Fikac, an update on who is running for what as a Democrat in 2014. Starting at the top, folks who attended the HCDP Johnson-Rayburn-Richards event on Saturday had the opportunity to meet Maxey Scherr, a 33-year-old … Continue reading →

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