Jaclanel McFarland
JacLanel McFarland was a judge of the Texas 133rd District Court. She left office on December 31, 2024.
McFarland (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for judge of the Texas 133rd District Court. She won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Biography
McFarland received both her undergraduate and J.D. degrees from Baylor University.[1] Prior to her judicial election in 2012, McFarland worked for 31 years as a litigator, mediator, and teacher of various collegiate law courses in Harris County.[2]
Elections
2020
See also: Municipal elections in Harris County, Texas (2020)
General election
General election for Texas 133rd District Court
Incumbent JacLanel McFarland defeated Sheri Y. Dean in the general election for Texas 133rd District Court on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | JacLanel McFarland (D) | 54.1 | 844,786 | |
| Sheri Y. Dean (R) | 45.9 | 715,828 | ||
| Total votes: 1,560,614 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas 133rd District Court
Incumbent JacLanel McFarland advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas 133rd District Court on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | JacLanel McFarland | 100.0 | 231,315 | |
| Total votes: 231,315 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas 133rd District Court
Sheri Y. Dean advanced from the Republican primary for Texas 133rd District Court on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Sheri Y. Dean | 100.0 | 153,922 | |
| Total votes: 153,922 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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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] Incumbent Jaclanel McFarland ran unopposed in the Texas 133rd District Court Democratic primary.[4]
| Texas 133rd District Court, Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Jaclanel McFarland Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 146,412 |
| Total Votes | 146,412 | |
| Source: Harris County, Texas, "Democratic Party Cumulative Report-Unofficial," accessed March 2, 2016 | ||
Incumbent Jaclanel McFarland defeated Cindy Bennett Smith in the Texas 133rd District Court general election.
| Texas 133rd District Court, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Jaclanel McFarland Incumbent |
52.21% | 662,114 | |
| Republican | Cindy Bennett Smith | 47.79% | 606,178 | |
| Total Votes | 1,268,292 | |||
| 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.[5]
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."[6]
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;*[7]
- 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.[5]
*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[5]
2012
McFarland ran for re-election to the 133rd District Court and defeated challenger Lamar McCorkle with 50.2 percent of the vote.[8][9]
- See also: Texas judicial elections, 2012
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
JacLanel McFarland did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ http://www.martindale.com/Jaclanel-Moore-McFarland/1678648-lawyer.htm Martindale, Jaclanel Moore McFarland Judge Profile]
- ↑ Houston Opinions, "Jaclanel McFarland Succeeds Lamar McCorkle as Judge of the 133rd District Court in Harris County, Texas," 2008
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 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
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2012 General Election Results," November 6, 2012
- ↑ Harris County, Texas-2012 General Elections Results
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
