Joseph Halbach Jr.
Joseph J. "Tad" Halbach Jr. was a judge of Texas District 333.[1] He was re-elected on November 6, 2012, for a four-year term.[2]
Halbach lost his re-election bid in 2016.[3] The general election took place on November 8, 2016.
Biography
Halbach received his J.D. from the University of Texas.[4] Prior to being elected judge of Texas District 333, Halbach served in a variety of judicial positions. He also worked in private practice at several firms, including Law Offices of Joseph J. Halbach, Jr., Wilshire, Scott, Halbach & Dyer, Bonham, Carrington & Fox.[5]
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.[6] Incumbent Joseph Halbach Jr. ran unopposed in the Texas 333rd District Court Republican primary.[3]
| Texas 333rd District Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Joseph Halbach Jr. Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 199,920 |
| Total Votes | 199,920 | |
| Source: Harris County, Texas, "Republican Party Cumulative Report-Unofficial," accessed March 2, 2016 | ||
Daryl Moore defeated incumbent Joseph Halbach Jr. in the Texas 333rd District Court general election.
| Texas 333rd District Court, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Daryl Moore |
51.74% | 655,463 | |
| Republican | Joseph Halbach Jr. Incumbent | 48.26% | 611,491 | |
| Total Votes | 1,266,954 | |||
| 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.[7]
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."[8]
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;*[9]
- 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.[7]
*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[7]
2012
Halbach ran for re-election to the 333rd District Court and defeated challenger Tracy D. Good with 50.1 percent of the vote.[10][2]
- See also: Texas judicial elections, 2012
Associations
- Texas Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- Houston Young Lawyers Association; President
- Houston Young Lawyers Association; Judicial Liaison
- Houston Young Lawyers Foundation; Board of Trustees
- Pro Bono College – State Bar of Texas
- Houston Bar Association; Board Member (ex-officio)
- Houston Bar Foundation – Fellow; Texas Bar Foundation – Fellow
- Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists Board Member
- Member – Garland Walker Inn of Court[5]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 333rd District
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Harris County, Texas-2012 General Elections Results
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ Texas Bar Profile
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Campaign Website Bio
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 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
