Sharon Keller faces challenge from CCA ally Larry Meyers in 2012 primary

If one needed further evidence that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is an extremely divided body, one need look no further than the decision by Judge Larry Meyers - usually a member of the Keller-Hervey pro-prosecution wing of the CCA - has decided to run against Sharon Keller as presiding judge in 2012 in the Republican primary, leaving an open seat on the CCA. Reported the Fort Worth Star-Telegram ("Fort Worth judge to run for top spot on Court of Criminal Appeals," July 27):

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Lawrence "Larry" Meyers confirmed Wednesday he is planning to run for the court's top spot, challenging controversial presiding Judge Sharon Keller in next year's Republican primary.

Meyers, of Fort Worth, was the first Republican elected to the Court of Criminal Appeals in 1992 and is currently its longest serving member.

On Tuesday, he sent a brief memo to his colleagues explaining his decision to seek higher office, implying that Keller has held the presiding judge position for too long. Keller has been on the court since 1994 but has served as presiding judge since 2000.

"The normal term for this position is 8-10 years. As such, it is time to rotate the presiding judgeship on our Court," Meyers wrote in the memo.

Keller, now in her second term as presiding judge, said she wasn't aware of Meyers' plans to run against her until the memo was circulated to members of the court.

The Startlegram mentions that this isn't the first time a member of the CCA has run against Keller. "Tom Price, currently the court's third most senior member after Keller and Meyers, ran against her in the Republican primary in 2000 and 2006." She won their last matchup by a 53-47 margin, but Price is a member of the more moderate wing of the court, while Meyers' challenge comes from a judge who's sided with Keller on most topics - and even went on a damage-control tour with the media on her behalf at the height of her troubles - but who now appears to have had enough of her. That coupled with Judge Keller's bouts of bad publicity could give the race a different dynamic in next spring's GOP primary.

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