Tag Archives: Denise Pratt

Judicial Q&A: Sherri Cothrun

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates on the November ballot. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote. … Continue reading →

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Enos files complaint against Judge Franklin

Posted on September 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. Lawyer Greg Enos filed a criminal complaint this month with the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Division alleging 311th District Court Judge Alicia Franklin submitted false and questionable pay vouchers to the county for court-appointed work in … Continue reading →

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Pratt gets a reprimand

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Not exactly timely, but at least it’s on the record. The commission found that [Denise] Pratt, who resigned in late March, “failed to be diligent and failed to timely execute the business of … Continue reading →

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Perry appoints Pratt replacement

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Gov. Rick Perry on Friday appointed Houston family lawyer Alicia Franklin as presiding judge of Harris County’s 311th state District Court, a position left vacant in March after the resignation of disgraced freshman jurist Denise Pratt. Franklin won … Continue reading →

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Primary runoff results

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

So long, Dave. Riding a wave of conservative sentiment that Texas Republicans were not being led with a hard enough edge, state Sen. Dan Patrick crushed Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff election for lieutenant governor, ending … Continue reading →

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Pratt campaign sign mystery apparently solved

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Nice detective work. Last week, when campaign signs for disgraced former family court judge Denise Pratt popped up at some early voting locations in Houston, several sources said they had seen local Republican political consultant Burt Levine putting them up. … Continue reading →

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What campaign signs?

Posted on May 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Denise Pratt says she knows nothing about all those campaign signs advocating her re-election that she says she isn’t running for. Campaign signs urging voters to “Re-elect Denise Pratt” have popped up outside at least three early voting locations this … Continue reading →

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More on the Pratt resignation deal

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’m still shaking my head about this. The Harris County district attorney still could investigate and charge former family court Judge Denise Pratt, despite striking a deal with the freshman jurist to resign to avoid prosecution on charges of tampering … Continue reading →

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Pratt’s resignation deal

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Now here‘s an interesting twist to the story. Former family court Judge Denise Pratt’s resignation in late March was part of a deal to avoid indictment, Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson said Wednesday, asserting that the document tampering case … Continue reading →

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A deeper dive into the Pratt files

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron takes a closer look at some of the people affected by the tenure of now-former Judge Denise Pratt. Kevin Bates’ sojourn through Pratt’s court began in 2012, via a visitation dispute with his ex-wife over their 16-year-old daughter. … 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Who judges the judges?

Posted on November 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Meet the guy that’s been going after judges with behavioral issues. The photograph at the top of Greg Enos’ monthly email newsletter is always the same: A pack of mongooses confronting a reared-up cobra. The Webster family lawyer says the … Continue reading →

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From the “Judges Behaving Badly” files

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll start with now-former Judge Elizabeth Coker: An East Texas state district judge who had been accused of sending text messages to coach a prosecutor during a trial, being biased against some attorneys and improperly meeting with jurors has resigned … Continue reading →

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