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Texas Judges
Selection Process and Qualifications
In the words of Maxwell, Crain, and Santos, "Texas elects its judges (except municipal court judges) in partisan elections" (286). In theory, therefore, the selection of judges in Texas does not differ significantly from presidential and congress elections (Streb 7). To begin with, the basic qualifications of most judges in Texas are established in the constitution. However, additional qualifications may be prescribed in the relevant legislation creating statutory courts. According to the American Judicature Society, to be eligible for selection as a judge in the Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, and Court of Appeals, one must in addition to being a U.S. citizen and a resident of Texas also be licensed in the state. One must also have practiced as a judge and/or lawyer for a minimum of 10 years....
The age limit for individuals seeking election as judges in the aforementioned courts is 35-74 years (American Judicature Society). However, with regard to district courts, those seeking to be elected are only required to have 4 years worth of experience as practicing state judges and/or lawyers. At 35, the minimum age limit for those seeking to be elected is also lower than that required in higher courts as described above (American Judicature Society).
As I have already pointed out elsewhere in this text, the selection of Judges in Texas is largely partisan. Save for municipal judges (whose election is orchestrated by the municipality's governing body), all the other judges are elected by voters (registered) in the relevant geographical area. Reelection is in this case the basis for retention (American Judicature Society). Further, as the American Judicature Society further points out, interim vacancies in the Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, Court of Appeals, and District Court are filled by way of "gubernatorial appointment with senate approval." Some of the things that could cause judges to vacate office prior to the completion…
Works Cited
American Judicature Society. "Advocating Integrity in American Justice." Judicial Selection. American Judicature Society, 2014. Web. 14 February 2014 < http://www.judicialselection.com/judicial_selection/methods/index.cfm?state=TX
Maxwell, William, Ernest Crain, and Adolfo Santos. Texas Politics Today. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2013. Print.
Streb, Matthew J., ed. Running for Judge: The Raising Political, Financial, and Legal Stakes of Judicial Elections. New York: NYU Press, 2007. Print.
Texas have inspired discussion about the pay of public officials. State representative Terry Keel, claiming to be cutting expense corners, said that he would block a bill to increase the pay of Texas judges. In an as-yet-unresolved conflict of stories, Houston representative Rodney Ellis has ties to a scandal regarding this proposed legislation, in which the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court threatened political retribution if judges were
Texas Prison Reform: A Success Story Government The prison population in the United States experienced an unprecedented expansion between the 1970s and the end of the first decade of the 21st century (Editorial Board, 2013). Beginning with a prison population of 174,000 in 1972 it grew to over 1.4 million by 2010, representing over a 700% increase (PSPP, 2010). By comparison, the growth of the U.S. population was a modest 32% during
Texas Criminal Process Outline Arrest- taking a suspect into official custody. Not all interactions with police, including interrogations, rise to the level of an arrest. Probable cause required for an arrest Arrests may be warrantless or with a warrant. Once under arrest a person has several rights (known collectively as Miranda rights): The right to remain silent; The right to have an attorney present during questioning; The right to an appointed attorney if unable to afford an
Texas Parole Board The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles (herein referred to as the board) is a Texas-based state agency charged with determining "which eligible offenders to release on parole or discretionary mandatory supervision, and under what conditions" (Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, 2014). The board, moreover, makes decisions concerning parole revocation and issues clemency recommendations to the governor in an attempt to
Baggett continues by pointing out that the Texas Republican Party was basically born out of the policies of the Whig party, and reflected the vision of Henry Clay. What was the Whig party all about? In the Wikipedia encyclopedia explains that the Whig Party was "formed to go against the policies of President Andrew Jackson and the Democratic Party" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_whig_party.The Whigs believed that Congress should have more power than the
Finally, perhaps the most onerous aspect of the death penalty is the fact that the State of Texas allows convicted criminals who are determined to be mentally retarded to face and be subjected to the death penalty. Given the fact that many consider the mentally retarded (with an IQ below 70) to be incapable of making sound decisions, it seems to represent injustice in the extreme to execute retarded individuals