Thursday, October 08, 2009

Recent Perry judicial appointments

Governor Rick Perry today made headlines by appointing Eva Guzman the first-ever Latina to serve on Texas' Supreme Court (see the press release and initial Houston Chronicle coverage), which also opens up a slot on Texas 14th Court of Appeals in Houston where she previously served.

Coincidentally, a friend inquired whether I knew anything about two new juvenile court judges Gov. Perry recently appointed in San Antonio (I didn't), so I decided to look at who else Perry has recently named to judicial posts. Find below brief descriptions from the press releases announcing recent judicial appointments. For the most part, Texas judges are elected, but Perry can appoint them if they die or leave office for some reason before their terms expire.

Lori Valenzuela, San Antonio, 437th District Court (juvenile)
Valenzuela is an attorney in private practice, part-time Bexar County magistrate judge, and past Bexar County assistant district attorney. She is a member of the Bexar County Women’s Bar Association and San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association, and a past member of the Bexar County Child Fatality Review Board. She is also a board member of the Family Service Association of San Antonio Inc. and Abiding Presence Lutheran Day School. Valenzuela received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law.

Lisa Jarrett, San Antonio, 436th District Court (juvenile)
Jarrett is an attorney in private practice, part-time juvenile law referee, and past Bexar County assistant district attorney. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Federal Bar Association, San Antonio Bar Association, San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association, and Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association. She is also co-founder of Helpers Under the Bridge (HUB) of San Antonio. Jarrett received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center.

Jeff Rose, Austin, 353rd District Court
Rose is deputy first assistant to the Texas Attorney General. He is board certified in civil trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and a member of the Texas and Austin Bar associations, Defense Research Institute and National Association of Attorney Generals. He is also a graduate of Leadership Austin, co-founder and trustee of the Rise School of Austin, and founder of the Sportsman’s Club of Austin. Rose is a past volunteer for the Seedling Foundation, a board member for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central Texas, and a den leader for the Boys Scouts of America. He received a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and a law degree from Vanderbilt University School of Law.

Les Hatch, Lubbock, 237th District Court
Hatch is an attorney at Mayfield, Crutcher and Sharpee LLP. He is a member of the Texas Bar Association and Texas Association of Defense Counsel, a member and past president of the Lubbock County Bar Association, and past director of the Texas Young Lawyer’s Association. He is also a member and past president of the Ballet Lubbock Board of Directors, past president of the Lubbock Independent School District Foundation for Excellence, and a past board member of the Lubbock Methodist Hospital System and Covenant Hospital Foundation. Hatch received a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and a law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law.

Ray Wheless, Collin County, 366th District Court
Wheless is judge of Collin County Court at Law Number Four. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, National Association of Drug Court Professionals, Collin County Bail Bond Board and American Judges Association. He is also a past assistant football coach for the Plano Sports Authority, past Plano Boy Scouts of America cub master, past member of the Collin County Crisis Center and past president of the Plano Metro Rotary Club. Wheless served in the U.S. Air Force. He received a bachelor’s degree from California State College and a law degree from the University of Texas.

Rodney Satterwhite, Midland County, 441st District Court
Satterwhite is an attorney at Stubbemann, McRae, Sealy, Laughlin and Browder. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and Texas Association of Defense Counsel. He is a past director of the Texas Young Lawyers, president of the Midland County Young Lawyers, and commissioner of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. Satterwhite served in the U.S. Army as a legal officer at Fort Hood and in Vietnam. He received a bachelor’s degree and law degree from the University of Texas.

Barney Fudge, Burkburnett, 78th District Court
Fudge is a partner in the Law Offices of Fudge and Elder. He is a member and past director of the Wichita County Bar Association and a member of the Texas Bar Association. He is also president of the Donnelly Chapter of the Air Force Association, Burkburnett Housing Finance Corporation and Burkburnett Trails and Tales historical organization, and is past president of the Burkburnett Chamber of Commerce. Fudge was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force. He received a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and a law degree from the University of Oklahoma. He replaces Roy Sparkman.

I don't know much about any of these folks, pro or con, so if you do, please give your opinions in the comment section.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know much about them either, except that Republican appointees may not last through their first election cycle in Austin and San Antonio.

Anonymous said...

Wheless received his bachelors from Cal State but from which college/university? Just curious.

jan logsdon said...

Just makes one wonder why there were those openings, how long they were vacant and reasons for leaving.

Applaud your work.

Anonymous said...

Poor old Bexar County - getting a lackluster criminal defense attorney and ex-prosecutor in Lisa Jarrett and one of Susan Reed's spawn in Lori Valenzuela. I can never understand why the abysmal standards and behavior that characterize Bexar Co.'s criminal justice system never get the same attention that the Harris County system attracts - maybe because the Express News is a rag compared to the Houston Chronicle? Anyway, mediocrity will continue to be the order of the day under these two appointees. Well done Rick Perry - probably exactly what you wanted.

jade1justice said...

INCOMPETENT=LISA JARETT,INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANT OF COUNSEL=LISA JARRETT, ABYSMAL(UNJUSTIFIABLE)=LISA JARRETT. This is one person that has no business in a court room, needless to say I know this for a fact, any one who would look into this case could not help but wonder did she not care,or she is truly incompetent, but it will take 40 years of a young mans life. Corruption began in District Court 226 which included Sid Harle, His buddy Dwight Chumbley, Lisa Jarret,and her buddy Scott Simpson. The political moves to make sure no one would know of her Ineffective Assistant of counsel, and her incompetence played a very important part in the violations of a young man's Constitutional Rights to a fair trial. This choice is a reflection of a governor that ignored the outcry's for help in T.Y.C in the past(2006),to place someone who has no idea of T.Y.C, or the families that will come before her has now once again placed our youth in a dangerous path to end their future. All citizens should be made aware of the failures and erriversable mistakes that she has made on other peoples lives. once again I am asking her to resign as I did before because she is not qualified or experienced enough,in which she will once again cause irreversable, and irreparable harm to many young lives. The choice of a Juvenile Judge should be better qualified, and better expeience of greater case loads in court law experience than a "NOVICE" with a pretty face.

Anonymous said...

Barney Fudge seems to have a great temperament on the bench. He must be intelligent because he appears to be quickly learning areas of law which he did not practice. Governor Perry selected Barney Fudge over the elected District Attorney Barry Macha - very interesting politics up here in Wichita County.

Anonymous said...

INVESTIGATE JUDGE LISA JARRETT

IN THE CASE OF BRYCE VANDERGRIFT

SUPPORTING AND SUBSTANICAL EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE AND BEING MAILED OUT DAILY. CONTACT US

Marie_M009@live.com

BRYCEVANDERGRIFTSMOM PELLETIER

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Anonymous said...

INVETIGATE

JUDGE LISA JARRETT

unethical, criminal incompetent,CORRUPT, playing games with minors lives. serious narsacisstic court room games. SERIOUS!

Anonymous said...

INVESTIGATE JUDGE LISA JARRETT