Tag Archives: Darrell Jordan

Primary runoff results: Local

Posted on May 27, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

As of a little after 10 PM when I draft this, I have no idea who will win the Democratic runoff for Harris County Judge. Letitia Plummer had a lead of 0.36%, which is to say 247 votes, with early … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Today is Runoff Day for the 2026 primaries

Posted on May 26, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I’m basically going to rerun my post from the start of early voting, because it’s the same information with the main difference being that there are more vote centers. Turnout during early voting was pretty good in context, with more … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Today is Runoff Day for the 2026 primaries

Early voting for the primary runoffs starts today

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I haven’t gotten a press release about this from the County Clerk, but they’ve had their hands full and I think by now we know the basics. What you need to know is that the voting center locations are here, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Early voting for the primary runoffs starts today

UH/Hobby poll: Parker 54, Plummer 36

Posted on May 15, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

More primary runoff polling. Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker holds an 18-point lead over Letitia Plummer, a former Houston City Council member, in the Democratic runoff for Harris County judge, according to a poll published Thursday by the University of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on UH/Hobby poll: Parker 54, Plummer 36

A brief look at the runoffs

Posted on April 21, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The Lite Guv runoff is the highest profile statewide race on the ballot in May for Democrats. After busting through turnout expectations for the party primaries, can Texas Democrats keep up that momentum for May’s runoff elections? Beyond that, will voters turn … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A brief look at the runoffs

Interview with Darrell Jordan

Posted on April 20, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The main runoff of interest in the Democratic primary is for District Clerk, which is an open seat as incumbent Clerk Marilyn Burgess is not running for a third term. There was a big field in March, so I decided … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Darrell Jordan

Initial thoughts on the 2026 primaries

Posted on March 5, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

We don’t have full turnout numbers yet, but as of Wednesday some 363,826 votes were cast in the Democratic primary for Senate in Harris County, while there were 197,389 votes cast on the Republican side. About 140K votes were cast … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

2026 primary results: Harris County

Posted on March 4, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Going to bullet point this one, with updates to come later, as most Election Day votes are still out as I write this: – Christian Menefee and Al Green appear headed to a runoff in CD18. Menefee had a sizeable … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Chron overview of the District Clerk race

Posted on January 24, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Pretty comprehensive and worth the read. Eight Democrats will battle it out in the March primaries for a chance to succeed Harris County District Clerk Marilyn Burgess, who announced in September she would not be seeking reelection. Whoever gets a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Chron overview of the District Clerk race

January 2026 campaign finance reports – Harris County offices

Posted on January 18, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

New year, new finance reports. You know the drill. This is the busiest report of the cycle, the one that shows who’s who in the primaries. I’ll be doing the usual with the other offices as well. The July 2025 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

More evidence of misdemeanor bail reform’s success

Posted on September 4, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Lower costs, fewer wrongful incarcerations and guilty pleas, less recidivism. What more do you want? Fewer misdemeanor defendants went on to commit crimes in Harris County after federal litigation in 2017 aimed at curtailing the jailing of low-income people charged … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More evidence of misdemeanor bail reform’s success

Charges against Judge Jordan dropped

Posted on July 3, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

That was quick. Just four days after being indicted and arrested, Harris County misdemeanor court Judge Darrell Jordan saw an official oppression charge against him dropped. Fort Bend County prosecutors on Friday announced they were dropping the misdemeanor charge against … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

More on Jordan and Dolcefino

Posted on July 2, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Dolcefino speaks. Former TV reporter Wayne Dolcefino has called for the resignation of Harris County misdemeanor Judge Darrell Jordan, alleging a personal vendetta led the jurist to wrongly hold him in contempt of court in 2020. Dolcefino’s demand came after … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Jordan and Dolcefino

Posted on June 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I have questions about this. Darrell William Jordan, a Harris County misdemeanor court judge, on Monday was arrested and charged with of official oppression, according to court records. Jordan is accused of using his office to unlawfully arrest and detain … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

HPD adopts cite-and-release

Posted on September 19, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Took them long enough. The Houston Police Department plans to join Harris County’s cite-and-release program, fulfilling advocates’ long-running request to implement the policy they say keeps low-level offenders out of jail and saves law enforcement resources for more serious threats. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HPD adopts cite-and-release

Look out! Here come the lady judges!

Posted on March 10, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Everybody scream! In Democratic judicial primaries last Tuesday, Dayna beat David, Jane trounced Jim, and Colleen got more support than John, David and Brennen combined. Is that all there was to it? Men have dominated Texas courts for decades. Now, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Cite and release

Posted on February 9, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This has been a long time coming. Harris County law enforcement officials on Tuesday will begin a “cite and release” program that treats some misdemeanor charges like court citations for speeding tickets, just days after the district attorney’s office said … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Judge officially approves final Harris County bail settlement

Posted on November 23, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It’s officially finally final and official. A federal judge has signed off on a historic bail reform agreement for Harris County, setting in place new protections for people accused of minor offenses in the country’s third largest criminal justice system. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Judge officially approves final Harris County bail settlement

Ogg continues to have problems with the bail settlement

Posted on October 15, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t like this. District Attorney Kim Ogg is rallying police officers across Harris County to show up in federal court en masse to oppose to a landmark bail reform agreement at a final hearing set for this month. She … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ogg’s objections

Posted on August 24, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

This kind of came out of the blue. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg — who has been aligned with bail reformers during an ongoing legal conflict over the disparate treatment of poor defendants — filed a brief Thursday opposing … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Ogg’s objections

Final bail settlement reached

Posted on July 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We are coming to the end of a very long road. A long-awaited settlement in Harris County’s historic bail lawsuit won tentative approval Friday from all parties, setting up a possible end to a contentious system that kept poor people … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Final bail settlement reached

Bail lawsuit settlement outline taking shape

Posted on April 15, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We should have a final version in a couple of weeks. A proposed settlement in the landmark Harris County bail lawsuit would significantly change how the county treats poor defendants in misdemeanor cases by providing free social and transportation services … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

We really are about to do away with the old cash bail system

Posted on January 18, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I have four things to say about this. The new slate of Democratic judges has approved a drastic revision to Harris County’s bail system that could serve as a model for a settlement in the historic lawsuit in which a … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Appeal of bail injunction dropped

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Elections have consequences, and thank goodness for it. Less than a week after the new jurists were sworn into office, Harris County’s misdemeanor judges on Monday withdrew their appeal in the landmark lawsuit over local bail practices that a federal … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

There better be a bail lawsuit settlement

Posted on November 15, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, duh. The Democratic sweep of Harris County leadership posts in the midterm election could prompt a settlement in the protracted legal dispute over how judges handle bail for poor people arrested for petty offenses, according to statements made … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on There better be a bail lawsuit settlement

ACLU goes after Judge McSpadden

Posted on March 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

As well they should. The ACLU of Texas is asking Harris County’s longest serving felony court judge to resign after making a statement to the Houston Chronicle on his views about black men’s attitudes toward the criminal justice system. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on ACLU goes after Judge McSpadden

Fifth Circuit hears bail lawsuit arguments

Posted on October 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Big day in court. Amid a stream of pointed questions from the bench, lawyers for Harris County Tuesday asked panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to toss a lower court ruling that the county’s criminal justice system … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Fifth Circuit hears bail lawsuit arguments

Judge Jordan deserves to have his position in the bail lawsuit represented

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I have problems with this. The only Harris County judge to fight the county’s defense of its controversial bail system has been notified he will not get his own lawyer to appeal the high-profile federal lawsuit that has divided county … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Judge Jordan deserves to have his position in the bail lawsuit represented

“What are we fighting for?”

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the key question for the county in the bail lawsuit. As legal costs mount, surpassing $200,000 per month, pressure is building for Harris County officials to settle a lawsuit over the county’s cash bail system that a federal judge … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on “What are we fighting for?”

Harris County bail system ruled unconstitutional

Posted on April 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Damn right. A federal judge in Houston Friday issued a scathing denouncement of Harris County’s cash bail system, saying it is fundamentally unfair to detain indigent people arrested for low-level offenses simply because they can’t afford to pay bail. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sheriff Gonzalez testifies in bail practices trial

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

He says on the stand what he has been saying elsewhere. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez took the witness stand for an hour Wednesday afternoon in a closely watched federal civil rights case that is challenging whether it is constitutional … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Endorsement watch: Bail matters

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

For only the second time this cycle, the Chron endorses a challenger to a sitting judge. Harris County’s criminal courts at law are currently defendants in a lawsuit alleging that pretrial bail policies violate the U.S. Constitution. It is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: Bail matters

Maldonado and Jordan win court nominations

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Last night at the quarterly Harris County Democratic Party County Executive Committee meeting, HCDP precinct chairs selected the nominees for the two newly-created judicial positions. It was a long meeting – it took some time to sign all the precinct … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Next up: Judicial nominations

Posted on June 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

With the nomination for Commissioners Court settled, all that’s left for me to do as Precinct Chair is participate in the process to select nominees for the two new courts, the 507th Family District Court and the County Criminal Court … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Next up: Judicial nominations