Elena Villasenor
Elena Villasenor was a 2016 candidate for the Texas 131st District Court in Texas.[1] She was defeated in the primary election on March 1, 2016.
Education
Villasenor earned her B.A. from Boston College and her J.D. from the University of Southern California School of Law.[2]
Career
Villasenor started working as a private practice attorney in 2005.[2]
Campaign themes
2016
Villasenor's campaign website included the following themes for 2016:
| “ |
I am running for judge in the 131st District Court—a people’s court that primarily hears family law, personal injury, and business disputes for all residents of Bexar County. As a San Antonio native, I care about the quality and integrity of our courts and the people who come before them. The courthouse can be an intimidating place. When you walk into the courthouse, it is usually because you or your business is going through a difficult time. When you walk out, you should feel like you were respected, you were heard, and that the judge had the dedication, knowledge, and experience to understand your case and the law. As your judge, I will work hard every day to exceed those expectations. At the courthouse, proven experience matters. I have been a trial lawyer for 11 years, and I am at the courthouse on a regular basis. I handle complex disputes from start to finish, and I know the hard work that happens behind the scenes before you and your lawyers get to the courthouse. The San Antonio Business Journal recognized my community involvement and professional accomplishments, calling me a “bulldog in the courtroom and beyond.” As your future Judge, I will tackle the work with the same tenacity because that is what you deserve. [3] |
” |
| —Elena Villasenor (2016), [4] | ||
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.[5] Norma Gonzales defeated Elena Villasenor and Devin Gabriel in the Texas 131st District Court Democratic primary.[1]
| Texas 131st District Court, Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Norma Gonzales |
58.33% | 53,937 |
| Elena Villasenor | 29.84% | 27,589 |
| Devin Gabriel | 11.84% | 10,944 |
| Total Votes | 92,470 | |
| Source: Bexar County, Texas, "2016 Joint Primary Elections," accessed March 2, 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.[6]
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."[7]
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;*[8]
- 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.[6]
*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[6]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Elect Elena, "Experience," accessed February 17, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Elect Elena, "Home," accessed February 17, 2016
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 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
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
