His strong sense of service and community started when he joined the US Army and served with distinction as reconnaissance in Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Provide Comfort, protecting Kurdish refugees. After receiving his honorary discharge from the military, Kevin returned to the community. Every action you take makes a big difference. Stephen, a proud Texas Aggie and graduate of Strake Jesuit Preparatory, runs a family-owned business his father Lupe Fraga founded in 1962, a legacy of hard work and enduring faith that reflects their past and inspires their future. As a fifth-generation Latino Texan, Leo Farias understands the state's culture, needs, and struggles. He has served as an Associate Judge in the Houston Municipal Courts and is currently the Chief Investigator for the Harris County District Attorneys Office. Before being appointed, and subsequently elected, Paula served as felony chief prosecutor at the Harris County District Attorneys Office where she worked for 14 years. She has worked as a litigator, mediator, and amicus attorney during her legal career. In addition, Sophia is a member and Past President (2013-2015) of the Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club, a member of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club, and previously served on the National Pachyderm Foundation Board. Geric has been practicing family law since 2007. For those reasons and for advancing safety in our community, Judge Hart was named "2018 Judge of the Year" by the Texas Gang Investigators Association for his legal stewardship which "allows justice to be served in a timely manner" and for his "outstanding contributions in the battle against gangs and organized crime. for District Judge, 183rd Judicial District. Find your Election Day polling location here . for Family District Judge, 246th Judicial District. for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 8, Place 2. I also belong to the Houston Business and Estate Planning Council and the Houston Estate and Financial Forum. Jessica was raised in a law enforcement family, watching daily as her father put on his uniform and hit the streets to protect the citizens in their community. Lori holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Baylor Law School. A judge should be neutral . for District Judge, 263rd Judicial District. 2022 General Election Democratic Candidates - Harris County Democrats Take Action. offenders while ensuring public safety. See who has filed for candidacy in Harris County ahead of the March Protasiewicz says she will recuse from cases involving the state He is a member of the State Bar of Texas Rules Committee and its Appellate Sub-Committee, and is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. I am also a member of the Disability and Elder Law Attorneys Association and Attorneys in Tax and Probate. 4. Whether it be through the Houston Police Department, The District Attorney's Office, or through his work representing indigent adults and children, there is still more to be done to ensure our community's faith is restored in the courthouse. He has dedicated his entire legal career to working in Criminal Law and successfully earned a 2018 Judicial Nomination for the Republican Party in a highly contested race. First name Last name Email Address He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in Madison Wisconsin. He has handled numerous cases in the Civil District Courts and Probate Courts. And, she has put her creativity and organizational gifts to work in chairing special programs and events, such as TEW, Steps for Students, the S.E.R. After years of working in property management, Judge Korduba then started her law practice and grew it to an industry-leading statewide firm. He also spent 7 years as a She started her career as a prosecutor in the Harris County DA's office and currently runs her own private criminal law practice. As an election integrity expert, she supports entities across the nation to have strong election security. He is currently married and enjoys his 3 grandchildren. Her work in the private sector since the early 2000s includes extensive experience in our County Criminal Courts. I have tried cases in Harris County, Fort Bend County, Montgomery County, Brazoria County, Galveston County, Dallas County, Bexar County, and in State and Federal Court. He now serves as a Mediator and Arbitrator. Texas Court of Criminal Appeals The advertisements rolled out with weeks to go until the November election. County Commissioner Court. In addition to prosecuting cases for the last 3 years at the Harris County Attorneys Office, his legal experiences include clerking in the family law courts under Judge Georgia Dempster, Judge Denise Pratt, Judge Bonnie Hellums and facilitating permanency for children currently in the Gulf Coast Children Court. She is married to her husband, Matthew Peneguy and they have two young children. Lori and Bill live in Spring with their Italian Greyhound, Lucia. and earned his law degree from St. Thomas University School of Law. A. in Business Administration with a major in accounting. Jesus Guillen is married and has 2 children. He has volunteered his valuable time to assist several community-based groups that focus on preventing teen suicide, domestic abuse, and poverty. Kevin's commitment to the community while furthering his education resulted in receiving a Distinguished Public Service award and his Juris Doctor Degree. Kevin started his legal career as an extern with the Orange County District Attorney's Office, where he learned to balance the constitutional rights of the accused while never forgetting the victims impacted by crime. After practicing in St. Louis, he moved to Houston in 1990 to marry the love of his life, Lee Kathryn Shirley and has two children, Emily and Stephen. Dan Simons is a former Air Force Veteran and graduate of Thurgood Marshall School of Law and the University of Houston Law School. These included everyone from professional athletes and millionaires to pilots and firemen, and mothers and fathers working multiple jobs to make ends meet. He was born in Harris County and has lived here for over 45 years. With over 21 years of experience as a prosecutor and defense attorney, Jessica will bring invaluable knowledge, common sense, and experience back to the court. With over 21 years of experience as a prosecutor and defense attorney, Jessica will bring invaluable knowledge, common sense, and experience back to the court. In the primary election, four incumbent criminal Democratic district court judges were beat by their opponents. 3 in the November 2022 General Election. | Harris County Democrats for District Judge, 208th Judicial District. for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, Place 2. Photo by Van Williams. Aplicacin para Cita de Presidente de Recinto, View the 2022 Harris County General Election Results. 4. In 1983, Bob began his legal career by establishing his legal practice. Zachary Gibson is currently a prosecutor for Harris County where he has served his community for the past 6 years. After graduating cum laude from Georgetown University, he then attended The University of Texas School of Law and graduated with honors. Jason Luong, who currently serves as judge in the 185th district court, will face current Harris County prosecutor Andrea Beall in a run off. for District Judge, 262nd Judicial District. Register to vote. Maria Valeria has four children, who, although they are now adults, continue to be her greatest joy. In 1983, Bob began his legal career by establishing his legal practice. Whether it be through the Houston Police Department, The District Attorneys Office, or through his work representing indigent adults and children, there is still more to be done to ensure our communitys faith is restored in the courthouse. These included everyone from professional athletes and millionaires to pilots and firemen, and mothers and fathers working multiple jobs to make ends meet. He has since been practicing family law as an attorney since 2005 and has owned his own Family law firm since 2006. Both positions are volunteer positions without pay. .courts-container hr {background-color:#f0a236;padding-bottom:2px;}, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Texas Supreme Court 1960 Pressefoto Jack Matthews des demokratischen Exekutivkomitees About Us - HCDLA She also held office as Parish Council President, Vice-President, and Secretary for multiple terms in each role and was appointed in 2012 to the Legal Affairs Committee for the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the U.S.A. Tami then went to law school, raised a family and began her law career as a criminal defense attorney prior to becoming a prosecutor. HCDLA - Harris Country Democratic Lawyers Association For Justice, 14th Court of Appeals, Place 2. Judge Laryssa Korduba is the first female Justice of the Peace in Precinct 4, serving as Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, Place 2. She was elected by her peers to serve as the Presiding Judge of the Harris County Criminal Courts at Law and has repeatedly received the highest ratings by attorneys voting in the Houston Bar Association Judicial poll. Rachel Leal-Hudson received her law degree from South Texas School of Law in 2007 and has been practicing law for 14 years. Lori holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Baylor Law School. Houston, Texas 77020 She has tried more than 100 jury trials as an attorney and as a judge presided over more than 200 jury trials. With over 21 years of experience as a prosecutor, defense attorney and District Court Judge, Kristin has the experience to ensure that the criminal justice system works efficiently to give our community and its citizens the justice they deserve. Geric is a former teacher who taught 9th grade math. for District Judge, 182nd Judicial District. Justice Adams, now back in private practice, has been an appellate lawyer for more than thirty years. Immediately after, Nathan moved to Houston, where he began practicing civil law for a brief time before joining the Harris County District Attorneys Office in 2007, where he is still employed. Down-ballot races are not typically a hot election topic, but public concerns over rising crime have pushed Harris County's 68 judicial races to the forefront this cycle. He graduated with Honors from the University of Houston Law Center and was Chief Justice and Chair of the U. of H. Law Center Honor Court. Sartaj grew up in Spring, Texas and attended Klein High School. While with the Houston Police Department, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Award and named Police Officer of the Year. He is a Credentialed Mediator and an Arbitrator. He has been co-parenting 3 children for over 30 years. The Harris County Democratic Party is dedicated to the ideal that everyone deserves an equal shot at life, . Xavier is currently a Deputy Division Chief at the Fort Bend County District Attorneys Office where he supervises 12 prosecutors in 6 County Courts at Law. She was born and raised in Houston and is a proud graduate of Bellaire High School. His first wife passed away and they had 2 sons who also attended school in Houston. His legal affiliations include the State Bar of Texas, The United States District Court for the Southern District, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Houston Bar Association. Beall ( Democratic Party) ran for election for judge of the Texas 185th District Court. For those reasons and for advancing safety in our community, Judge Hart was named 2018 Judge of the Year by the Texas Gang Investigators Association for his legal stewardship which allows justice to be served in a timely manner and for his outstanding contributions in the battle against gangs and organized crime., for District Judge, 232nd Judicial District. She is the former award-winning judge of Harris County Criminal Court at Law #1 were she served for more than 8 years. She has volunteered at M.D. for Family District Judge, 308th Judicial District, for Family District Judge, 309th Judicial District. Married for 14 years with three sons Gregory (11), Stephen (11) and Andrew (6), they are committed to showing the next generation the importance of civic responsibility and the value of personal freedoms. She was a tough-on-crime prosecutor for 12 years successfully securing convictions against defendants charged with violent offenses like murder, capital murder, and sexual assault of children. Aaron G. Adams is a practicing Attorney of 17 years, Sports Agent, Author, and Real Estate Investor. We are an independent political blog and simply offer candid, mainstream perspective to help the Democratic Party improve and be successful. for Judge, County Civil Court at Law No. for District Judge, 228th Judicial District, for District Judge, 230th Judicial District, A prosecutor under iconic Harris County District Attorney Johnny Holmes and appointed to the bench by Governor Rick Perry, Brad Hart served as Judge of the 230th Criminal District Court from 2013 to 2018. He has been married for 22 years to Alyssa Lemkuil, a former state district court judge, with one daughter starting her second year of college. In 2003, Judge Wilson was appointed Judge of the 157th Judicial District Court in Harris County, where he served for over 15 years. Sophia is a lifelong member of St. George Orthodox Christian Church, where for approximately 20 years, she served as an elected member of the Parish Council. As a prosecutor, Elizabeth has served as a Misdemeanor Chief and practiced in the Felony, Juvenile and Intake Divisions. Learn all about the 2022 Democratic Candidates: >> Harris County Democratic Party Voter Guide (PDF) >> League of Women Voters Houston Voter Guide >> Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus Endorsements Election Day November 8, 2022 -- 7AM - 7PM Election Day is November 8. The bench does not belong to the DA's Office. She has handled a broad range of legal matters, representing individuals, corporations, and small businesses on both sides of the docket and serving in a representative capacity as ad litem. "It's possible that a few of the more lenient Democratic judges do get some blow back via campaign by Republicans reaching out to Democrats, but by in large, when people get to this part of the ballot, unless someone has done something pretty egregious to rise to that level of public attention, in November they are either going to check the D or the R," Jones explained. Matthew, a 20-year veteran of the Houston Police Department and a native Houstonian, wants to restore faith in the communitys court system, and bring back a balanced approach to justice as well as a reasonable, common-sense approach to Harris Countys criminal justice system. He is a father of three young children and desires to serve Harris County residents to help restore justice and order. After she received her law degree, she moved back to Houston and has been practicing law in the bayou city since 1986. In addition to prosecuting cases for the last 3 years at the Harris County Attorney's Office, his legal experiences include clerking in the family law courts under Judge Georgia Dempster, Judge Denise Pratt, Judge Bonnie Hellums and facilitating permanency for children currently in the Gulf Coast Children' Court. Her campaign slogan is Mama Mia Vote for Sophia, in honor of her mom. [1] The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas has jurisdiction in Harris County. He has been co-parenting 3 children for over 30 years. Before his appointment, Justice Wilson was a partner at Susman Godfrey, one of Americas most prominent litigation firms. 189th Judicial District Candidates seeking the nomination of the Democratic or Republican Party must file (1) a candidate application, and (2) a filing fee or petition in lieu of filing fee. for Justice,1st Court of Appeals , Place 4. For years Fraga has been bringing leadership, fresh ideas, and high energy to good causes in our community. Before that, he practiced as a Certified Public Accountant. As a whole, Harris County criminal court judges came under fire for issues relating to releasing violent offenders on low bonds. Judge Karen Maisano will buck tradition and run in the Republican primary for Lancaster County Court judge despite failing to win an endorsement from the party's county committee. Sonya Aston is a sixth generation Houstonian, who has dedicated her life to public service through, environmental enforcement, enforcing tax collection laws, working at Transtar during emergency events, administering elections for Harris County for eight years, drafting state legislation, and much more. Sophia is a past member of Patrons for Bellaire Parks and the Houston Realty Business Coalition. 3. Let's turn Texas blue y'all! As judge of Harris Countys 308th Family District Court, I resolved over 400 cases per month across the full spectrum of family law matters. Aaron G. Adams is a practicing Attorney of 17 years, Sports Agent, Author, and Real Estate Investor. Both positions are volunteer positions without pay. She is an experienced litigator including having worked on the Exxon Valdez case and Enron matter and participated in litigation in support of the City of Houston, Harris County Tax Office, and County Clerk. Folks who say they want to protect children should help me end. Tonya McLaughlin is a native Texan. from the South Texas School of Law and clerked for various family law firms during his time as a student. The application must be . Growing up in San Antonio, my parents instilled in me two valuable lessons, ones that I have carried with me through my three decades of practicing family law here in Houston, my eight years as a Harris County family court judge, and now in my service to you as a family law arbitrator and mediator. [1][2], Though Texas officially has closed primaries (requiring that voters declare party affiliation in advance in order to participate), the state's primaries are functionally open: any registered voter may vote in any single party's primary if they have not voted in the primary of another party. To that end, we endorse the best candidates regardless of political affiliation. Throughout his years of service, Judge Ditta has served as a frequent speaker before numerous civic, professional, and educational organizations and as an instructor for Justices throughout the State of Texas. After graduation, Dan worked for the Harris County District Attorneys Office and continues to work as a Criminal Defense Attorney in Harris County. Bobs oldest son, Mike Wolfe has served as a Board Member of the Harris County Department of Education and is currently a candidate for the Texas State Board of Education, District 6. for Family District Judge, 257th Judicial District. for Family District Judge, 313th Judicial District. She is an experienced litigator including having worked on the Exxon Valdez case and Enron matter and participated in litigation in support of the City of Houston, Harris County Tax Office, and County Clerk. UPDATE 11/9/22: The general election results are in. Read More FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a dinner for the South Carolina Democratic Party on June 10, 2022, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard, File) Read Less Kristin has been married to her husband Ed for 19 years and they have two daughters. Justice Adams, now back in private practice, has been an appellate lawyer for more than thirty years. With the exception of County Judge, which is the first county office to appear, the other county races come after any county judicial elections, which we know in a . Kristin works with nonprofits that specialize in addiction and recovery. Harris County Republican Party | 8588 Katy Freeway, Suite 445 Houston, TX 77024 | (713) 838-7900 . This example of selfless service led her to begin her training after law school at the Harris County District Attorney's Office where she handled all types of criminal cases. Judge Clyde was the highest HBA rated County Civil Court Judge while on the bench from June 2015 through December 2016, with zero reversals and only 1 modification on appeal. "This kind of, in some ways, taints all of the sitting judges, so by being an incumbent judge, there is a belief among a subset of Democratic primary voters that that person is lax on crime," Mark Jones, political science professor at Rice University, said. To view the 2022 Harris County and Texas general election results, please click on the buttons below. A proud Texan, Zachary has made Houston his home for the past six years, and he is an active member of Christ Church Cathedral. Copyright 2023 KTRK-TV. Six other incumbent Democrat judges will not return to the bench in 2023. She is a member of the Houston Bar Association and a Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation. Sophia has volunteered for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital by serving on the Houston Gala committee from 2006 to 2021. Currently an Assistant District Attorney with the Harris County District Attorneys office, Ambers work as a prosecutor has been to maintain the communitys safety while seeing that justice is done. After graduating from Texas A&M University with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Sartaj worked as a Process Engineer prior to attending South Texas College of Law. Jessica and her husband, Michael, have been married for 20 years, have two children, and one spoiled pug. I enjoy fishing, Houstons original restaurants, and professional sports, my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Duke and attending my granddaughters soccer games. He practiced law in Harris County for almost 20 years before he was appointed Associate Judge of the 309th District Court. for District Judge, 482nd Judicial District. Apply today! Learn more about the Republican judicial candidates and crime in Harris County below and contribute to the partys joint judicial campaign to help get them elected! Geric was raised by a single Mexican mother with 2 siblings. From my father, I learned that every conversation starts with listening, and from my mother, the compassion to accept people as they are.