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Jeff Hastings
Jeff Hastings was a 2016 candidate for the Texas 151st District Court in Texas.[1] He lost in the general election on November 8, 2016.
Hastings was a judicial candidate for Texas District 61 in 2012.
Education
Hastings received his undergraduate degree from the University of Houston in 1985. He earned his J.D. from the South Texas College of Law in 1991.[2]
Career
Hastings has been an attorney in private practice for over 20 years. He was an associate for Womble & Spain from 1991 to 1999, and started Spain & Hastings in 1999. The firm is now known as Spain Chambers. Hastings has handled cases in the areas of business law, real estate, wrongful death, products liability, medical malpractice, employment discrimination, and negligence, among others.[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] Jeff Hastings defeated Aaron Adams in the Texas 151st District Court Republican primary.[1]
| Texas 151st District Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Jeff Hastings |
82.30% | 175,114 |
| Aaron Adams | 17.70% | 37,665 |
| Total Votes | 212,779 | |
| Source: Harris County, Texas, "Republican Party Cumulative Report-Unofficial," accessed March 2, 2016 | ||
Incumbent Mike Engelhart defeated Jeff Hastings in the Texas 151st District Court general election.
| Texas 151st District Court, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Mike Engelhart Incumbent |
53.75% | 682,495 | |
| Republican | Jeff Hastings | 46.25% | 587,166 | |
| Total Votes | 1,269,661 | |||
| 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
Hastings ran for election to the 61st District Court and was defeated by incumbent Al Bennett.[7] Hastings won in the Republican primary with 52.1% of the vote against George May and George W. Gore.[8]
- See also: Texas judicial elections, 2012
Endorsements
2016
Hastings received the following endorsements in 2016:[9]
- Harris County 4 Precinct Commissioner Jack Cagle
- Katy Christian Magazine
- Conservative Republicans of Harris County
- Conservative Coalition of Harris County PAC
- United Republicans of Harris County PAC
- Houston Realty Business Coalition PAC
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jeff Hastings for Judge campaign website, About Jeff Hastings
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2012 General Election Results," November 6, 2012
- ↑ Harris County, Texas-2012 General Elections Results
- ↑ Jeff Hastings for Judge, "Endorsements," accessed February 17, 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
