Don Self
Don Self was a 2016 candidate for the 152nd District Court in Texas.[1] Self lost in the general election on November 8, 2016.
Self was a judicial candidate for 152nd District Court in Texas in 2012.
Biography
Self received his undergraduate degree from Excelsior College in 1991. He earned his J.D. from the Thomas Cooley Law School in 1995, and holds an LL.M. in health law from the University of Houston.[2] Self joined the U.S. Navy after graduating from high school, and served for six years. He has worked in private practice since he finished law school in 1995.[2]
Elections
2016
Texas held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. A primary election took place on March 1, 2016. A primary runoff election was held on May 24, 2016, for any seat where the top vote recipient did not receive a majority of the primary vote.[3] Don Self ran unopposed in the Texas 152nd District Court Republican primary.[1]
| Texas 152nd District Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Don Self (unopposed) |
100.00% | 201,094 |
| Total Votes | 201,094 | |
| Source: Harris County, Texas, "Republican Party Cumulative Report-Unofficial," accessed March 2, 2016 | ||
Incumbent Robert Schaffer defeated Don Self in the Texas 152nd District Court general election.
| Texas 152nd District Court, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Robert Schaffer Incumbent |
53.73% | 681,410 | |
| Republican | Don Self | 46.27% | 586,756 | |
| Total Votes | 1,268,166 | |||
| Source: Harris County, Texas, "Election Results," accessed December 9, 2016 | ||||
Selection method
- See also: Partisan election of judges
The judges of the Texas District Courts are chosen in partisan elections. They serve four-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving.[4]
Though Texas is home to more than 400 district courts, the courts are grouped into nine administrative judicial regions. Each region is overseen by a presiding judge who is appointed by the governor to a four-year term. According to the state courts website, the presiding judge may be a "regular elected or retired district judge, a former judge with at least 12 years of service as a district judge, or a retired appellate judge with judicial experience on a district court."[5]
Qualifications
To serve on the district courts, a judge must be:
- a U.S. citizen;
- a resident of Texas;
- licensed to practice law in the state;
- between the ages of 25 and 75;*[6]
- a practicing lawyer and/or state judge for at least four years; and
- a resident of his or her respective judicial district for at least two years.[4]
*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[4]
2012
Self ran for election to the 152nd District Court, where he competed against fellow Republican Janet Townsley in the primary runoff on July 31, 2012.[7] Self won the primary and competed against incumbent Robert Schaffer in the November 6 general election, where Self was defeated.[8][9]
- See also: Texas judicial elections, 2012
Endorsements
2016
Self's campaign endorsements included the following organizations:[10]
- Harris County Deputies Association
- Houston Police Officers Union
- Fraternal Order of Police Officers
- Conservative Republicans of Harris County
- Texas Conservative Review
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Don Self - Republican for judge campaign website, About Don Self
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Texas," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ Texas Courts Online, "Administrative Judicial Regions," accessed September 12, 2014
- ↑ Texas State Historical Association, "Judiciary," accessed September 12, 2014
- ↑ KatyTimes.com-Cruz, Sadler win in primary runoffs
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2012 General Election Results," November 6, 2012
- ↑ Harris County, Texas-2012 General Elections Results
- ↑ Don Self for Judge, "Endorsements," accessed October 13, 2016
Federal courts:
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
State courts:
Texas Supreme Court • Texas Court of Appeals • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals • Texas District Courts • Texas County Courts • Texas County Courts at Law • Texas Statutory Probate Courts • Texas Justice of the Peace Courts
State resources:
Courts in Texas • Texas judicial elections • Judicial selection in Texas
