Reasons for Running
Why am I running for office? Why the Fourteenth Court of Appeals? Why now as opposed to running for the court of appeals in prior years? Let me answer these questions. I am confident you will understand the reasoning behind the answers.
As to why I might be running for office, I can better serve Texas as a court of appeals justice. My skill set is geared for the appellate courts. I know the law, and I know appellate practices. I also know how court systems operate differently in different counties. The way things are done in the Harris County legal community are not the way things are done in other counties such as Galveston or Brazoria County. I handle cases from all sides of the docket. On one appeal I may be a “plaintiff’s attorney,” while in another appeal I may be a “defendant’s attorney.” I did not start attending law school until I was almost thirty-one years old. Consequently, I understand how the law affects employers, employees, and companies as I routinely dealt with both before attending law school. That is why I am not running for some other type of elected position.
As to why now, in early 2007 I anticipated trying to be on the 2008 ballot. A late winter 2007 prostate cancer diagnosis shifted the focus of my immediate plans. As one can imagine, my family’s focus was on addressing the cancer. The surgery proved successful, and I continue to receive terrific test results. However, it was not until after the 2008 candidate filing deadline that we truly realized that my health would not hinder my running for office.
Campaigning for a court of appeals requires campaigning in multiple counties. Many good candidates have difficulty running for a multi-county race position to family time needs. It can be difficult visiting other counties when you are needed at home. My youngest child started college in September 2007. Thanks to the magic of mobile telephones I remain available to my family no matter where I am.
That leaves one question - Why the Fourteenth Court of Appeals for my first run at office? It is a two-fold answer. The 1967 Texas Legislature created that court of appeals. Numerous former legislators reminded me that my father was heavily involved in the lobbying efforts to create that court of appeals as well as refining the other existing courts of appeals. The second reason is former Fourteenth Court of Appeals Chief Justice Curtis Brown. Justice Brown and my father were very close friends dating back to their law school days. They were law partners when he took the appellant bench. Justice Brown swore me in as an attorney after I passed the bar examination. Frankly, there is a certain logic and symmetry to my serving on the Fourteenth Court of Appeals.
I know I have the experience and skill set to serve as a court of appeals justice. I know the ten counties in this area and the concerns lawyers have in those counties. I have the time and desire to serve Texas as a court of appeals justice. The time is right. The time is now.