Judicial races don't attract a lot of attention, and many of the judges at Tarrant County's courthouses go to work every day in relative obscurity. So voters wanting to make an informed decision will grab anything they can get to help them decide who to vote for.
That's why the Tarrant County Bar Association's Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll of its members becomes a handy tool during the primary and general election seasons. The one recently released by the group is no acception, and it is quickly becoming an issue on the campaign trail.
It's particularly been of keen interest in the three contested judicial races in the Tarrant County Republican Party primary for the 2nd Court of Appeals, the 17th District Court and the 213th District Court. Attorneys are asked if the candidates are not qualified, qualified and well qualified.
Former state Sen. Bill Meier, while being probably the best known of the candidates in the appeals court race, came in last while attorney Barcus "Barc" Hunter came in first and Texas Department of Insurance Administrative Law Judge Deeia Beck was second.
In the GOP race for the 213th District Court, state District Judge Louis Sturns almost gets a perfect score and defense attorney Bill Ray a B, while prosecutor Lisa Callaghan got a failing grade.
As far as the 17th District court race, attorney Melody Wilkinson comes out first with a collective score of 89 percent, with Mike Hrabal and Wade Birdwell close behind, while Skip Reynolds was ranked as not qualified by the majority of those answering the questionnaire.
To see the whole report it takes several steps. First go to www.tarrantbar.org and click on membership, then TCBA membership benefits, then the judicial bar polls. The judicial candidate qualification poll is at the top.
The judicial bar poll reflects the opinion of the criminal defense bar. It is not surprising that a career prosecutor would not be popular with them. However, the criminal defense bar would have a hard time saying that a person who is board certified would not be qualified. Lisa Callaghan is the ONLY candidate in this race that holds that certification, which is neutral and not the product of something by people who have something to gain by it.
Posted by: Kyleen Wright | February 14, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Lisa Callaghan has never been chief prosecutor. She was not the chief prosecutor in the Opal Jennings case, even though she touts this as her best accomplishment. Since she has never been the chief prosecutor, she has not been allowed to prosecute any death penalty cases (these types of cases will come before the 213th Judge).
She lists mainly precinct chairs as her endorsements, some of whom have withdrawn their endorsement yet their names remain on the website. She has not even been endorse by her own boss.
It would be a shame to replace an experience, and judicially sound judge, Like Louis Sturns, with someone who has fewer qualifications.
Posted by: Bryce Lowrance | March 21, 2008 at 01:09 PM