Jim Lewis (Texas judicial candidate)
Jim Lewis was a 2016 candidate for the Texas 11th District Court in Texas.[1] Lewis lost to Rabeea Collier (D) and Kristen Hawkins (D) in the primary election on March 1, 2016.
Education
Lewis earned his B.A. from the University of North Dakota and his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law.[2]
Career
Lewis began practicing as an attorney in 1988.[2]
Campaign themes
2016
Lewis' campaign website listed the following themes for his 2016 campaign:
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Workplace sexual violence In a case critical to the prevention of workplace violence, Jim wrote a brief, pro bono, on behalf of Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (AVDA) and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA). Jim argued that victims of workplace sexual assault are entitled to sue their employers for money damages, and are not limited to proceedings before the Texas Commission on Human Rights, which requires exhaustion of administrative remedies. The issue is currently pending before the Texas Supreme Court in B.C. v. Steak N Shake Operations, No. 15-0404. Employers' duties to protect worker safety In one of its most significant decisions of its last term, the Texas Supreme Court recognized that employers owe their employees not only the duty to maintain a safe worksite, but also the duty to provide proper supervision, safety equipment, and training, especially with regard to how to eliminate or avoid dangerous conditions. Jim Lewis and Peter Kelly submitted a brief on behalf of TTLA, which was the only brief to make that argument. After the opinion came out, Jim, again working on behalf of TTLA and with Peter Kelly, submitted another brief calling into question the Supreme Court’s statement that employees, when confronted with workplace hazards, must either work through the danger or be fired–with no consequence to the employer. Austin v. Kroger Co., No. 14-0216. Opponents’ access to political parties’ private documents The Harris County Democratic Party (HCDP) contacted Jim Lewis to prepare a brief to the Texas Supreme Court in support of the limitation on the required publication of private documents kept by political parties, such as strategy for persuasion of voters, policies pertaining to the recruitment of candidates, and other confidential information. Though Jim represented the HCDP, he also enlisted cooperation from the Harris County Republican Party, and the Supreme Court refused to subject the parties to heightened disclosure standards. Greater Houston Partnership v. Paxton, No 13-0745. Reimbursement of medical expenses to an injured man Jim argued to the Texas Supreme Court, on behalf of TTLA, that a seriously injured individual is entitled to request reimbursement for the entire amount of the charges for his medical care. Though the man received his care at a charity hospital, the charity was not designed for the benefit of the individual who caused his injury, and the man was required to pay for medical care in the event he makes a recovery at trial. Jim opposed the defendant’s proposed transfer of wealth from charitable donors to culpable tort-feasors. Big Bird Tree Service v. Gallegos, No. 12-0508. Homeowners’ rights to benefits under insurance policies In a case involving hailstorm damage, but of critical importance to Texans living in hurricane-prone areas, Jim argued that homeowners should be able to obtain the benefit of coverage for serious damage caused by hurricanes and other storms without the necessity of a cost-prohibitive appraisal process. Though the Texas Supreme Court primarily sided with the insurance companies, The Court heeded Jim’s arguments on behalf of TTLA and held that going through appraisal is not a condition precedent to enforcing the terms of the insurance policy through the courts. In re Universal Underwriters, No. 10-0238. [3] |
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| —Jim Lewis (2016), [4] | ||
Elections
2016
| Texas 11th District Court, Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Kristen Hawkins |
49.35% | 81,172 |
| Rabeea Collier |
25.38% | 41,751 |
| Jim Lewis | 25.27% | 41,566 |
| Total Votes | 164,489 | |
| Source: Harris County, Texas, "Democratic Party Cumulative Report-Unofficial," 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.[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]
Endorsements
Lewis received the following endorsements in 2016:[8]
- The Houston Chronicle
- Former Houston Mayor Lee P. Brown
- Mexican American Bar Association-Houston
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jim Lewis for Judge, "Meet Jim," accessed February 12, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Jim Lewis for Judge, "Pro Bono Work," accessed February 12, 2016
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Jim Lewis for Judge, "Endorsements," accessed February 12, 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
