Mary McFaden
Mary McFaden was a 2016 candidate for the 339th District Court in Texas.[1] McFaden lost in the general election on November 8, 2016.
Education
McFaden earned her B.A. in English from Lamar University. She later received her J.D. from the University of Houston.[2]
Career
McFaden joined the Harris County District Attorney's Office as an assistant district attorney in 2002.[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] Mary McFaden defeated Antonio Benavides in the Texas 339th District Court Republican primary.[1]
| Texas 339th District Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Mary McFaden |
82.67% | 180,150 |
| Antonio Benavides | 17.33% | 37,756 |
| Total Votes | 217,906 | |
| Source: Harris County, Texas, "Republican Party Cumulative Report-Unofficial," accessed March 2, 2016 | ||
Incumbent Maria Jackson defeated Mary McFaden in the Texas 339th District Court general election.
| Texas 339th District Court, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Maria Jackson Incumbent |
52.51% | 665,081 | |
| Republican | Mary McFaden | 47.49% | 601,472 | |
| Total Votes | 1,266,553 | |||
| 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]
Endorsements
2016
McFaden received the following endorsements prior to the Republican primary:[7]
- Association of Women Attorneys
- Concerned Citizens of Cypress
- Conservative Coalition of Harris County
- Conservative Republicans of Harris County
- Harris County GOP PAC
- Houston Chronicle
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mary McFaden for Judge, "About Mary," accessed February 19, 2016
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Mary McFaden for Judge, "Endorsements," accessed February 19, 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
