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John Roach Jr.
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2026
John Roach Jr. (Republican Party) is a judge of the Texas 296th District Court. His current term ends on December 31, 2026.
Roach (Republican Party) won re-election for judge of the Texas 296th District Court outright after the general election on November 8, 2022, was canceled.
Elections
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Collin County, Texas (2022)
General election
The general election was canceled. Incumbent John Roach Jr. won election in the general election for Texas 296th District Court.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas 296th District Court
Incumbent John Roach Jr. advanced from the Republican primary for Texas 296th District Court on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | John Roach Jr. | 100.0 | 51,091 | |
| Total votes: 51,091 | |||
 = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
General election
General election for Texas 296th District Court
Incumbent John Roach Jr. won election in the general election for Texas 296th District Court on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | John Roach Jr. (R) | 100.0 | 213,613 | |
| Total votes: 213,613 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas 296th District Court
Incumbent John Roach Jr. advanced from the Republican primary for Texas 296th District Court on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | John Roach Jr. | 100.0 | 45,506 | |
| Total votes: 45,506 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2014
See also: Texas judicial elections, 2014
Roach, Jr. ran for re-election to the 296th District Court.
Primary: He ran unopposed in the Republican primary on March 4, 2014.
General: He won without opposition in the general election on November 4, 2014.
[1][2]
2010
Roach won the Republican primary and was re-elected after running unopposed in the general election.[3]
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
John Roach Jr. did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
John R. Roach, Jr. participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on March 27, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and John R. Roach, Jr.'s responses follow below.[4]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | 1) Continue to follow the law and not create it from the bench 2) Provide fair, impartial decisions on issues before the Court |
” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | The independence of the judiciary is of the utmost importance.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[6]
|
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. John R. Roach, Jr. answered the following:
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
| “ | I look up to my father. He served in Vietnam and continued to serve for over 30 years as an officeholder. He held down three jobs while attending college and law school and supporting four kids. If I am half the public servant and man my dad is I would call myself a success.[6] | ” |
| “ | Honesty is the most important characteristic for anyone including an elected official.[6] | ” |
| “ | I am a no-nonsense judge with a passion for the law. I am a workaholic and enjoy making a difference in the lives of others. These qualities are important for a judge and officeholder.[6] | ” |
| “ | The core responsibility for a judge is to follow the law and to treat others fairly. While the Court maintains a docket of over 2,000 at a time, to the person who appears in the court it is there one and only case. The people who appear before the court deserve a judge who is knowledgeable of the law and treats their case as important.[6] | ” |
| “ | I want to leave a legacy of being a great husband and father more than anything else. Secondarily, I would like to leave a legacy of a passionate public servant.[6] | ” |
| “ | The first historical event I recall is the space shuttle Columbia is 1981. I was 11 years old.[6] | ” |
| “ | My very first job was as a salesperson at Naturalizer Shoes at Collin Creek Mall in Plano, Texas. It was a ladies shoe store. I held the job for about a year.[6] | ” |
| “ | My favorite holiday is Christmas. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, it gives is the time to come together with friends and family.[6] | ” |
| “ | My legal philosophy is strict constitutionalism, textualism in statutory interpretation and originalism in constitutional interpretation. Judges should not legislate from the bench.[6] | ” |
| “ | Absolutely. Empathy is very important for a judge but not at the expense of the law. As a general jurisdiction court who hears family law, felony criminal, civil and child protective services cases, there a myriad of cases to hear and decisions to make. Empathy plays a huge part in cases involving Child Protective Cases.[6] | ” |
| “ | Yes, at various times throughout my judicial career. I am always rated as one of the most knowledgeable and hard working judges in the courthouse.[6] | ” |
| “ | I have held the position for 12 years and want to continue my service to my community as judge.[6] | ” |
| “ | Being qualified is the most important requirement for a judge regardless of previous experience in government and politics. But having a law degree in and of itself does not mean a person is qualified to be a judge. It is important that the judge has practiced law in the same type of cases he or she will hear as a judge.[6] | ” |
| “ | No. I love my job.[6] | ” |
Education
Roach received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and his J.D. from St. Mary's University School of Law.[7]
Career
Before he became a judge, Roach was the managing partner of Roach LLP. Previously he worked as an attorney at the firm of Cowles & Thompson, P.C.[7]
Noteworthy cases
Lesbian couple may not live together due to divorce clause
Judge Roach ruled that a morality clause in a divorce agreement prohibited a lesbian couple from living together. When Carolyn and Joshua Compton got divorced, their agreement included a standard clause that prohibits them from having a romantic interest stay at their house past 9pm while their children are present. The Comptons' two daughters, ages 10 and 13, lived with their mother and her partner, Page Price. However, since Texas does not recognize gay marriage, Price and Carolyn were considered in violation of the morality clause because they were living together with the children. Judge Roach ordered Price to move out within 30 days.
Price stated,
| “ | Our children are all happy and well adjusted. By his enforcement, being that we cannot marry in this state, I have been ordered to move out of my home.[8][6] | ” |
Judge Roach stated, "It’s a general provision for the benefit of the children."[9] Joshua Compton's attorney, Paul Key, explained, "The fact that they can’t get married in Texas is a legislative issue. It’s not really our issue.”[9]
See also
2022 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Texas 296th District Court |
Footnotes
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2014 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County (A-L)"
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2014 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County (M-Z)" (Search "Collin")
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Republican Primary Winners" (dead link)
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "John R. Roach, Jr.'s responses," March 27, 2018
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Re-Elect Judge John Roach, "About Judge Roach," accessed August 23, 2014
- ↑ Dallas Voice, "Judge says lesbian mom’s partner must go," May 17, 2013
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 The Washington Post, "Texas judge says lesbian couple can’t cohabitate, cites morality clause in divorce papers," May 21, 2013
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