Melissa Goodwin
Melissa Goodwin (Republican Party) was a judge for Seat 4 of the Texas Third District Court of Appeals. She assumed office on January 1, 2011. She left office on December 31, 2022.
Biography
Education
Goodwin received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and her J.D. from St. Mary's University School of Law. [1]
Career
Goodwin was a partner with the firm Potts & Reilly, LLP. She has also served as a judge on the Texas District 427 and as justice of the peace in Travis County. In addition to serving as an appellate attorney, she worked in the general counsel's Office for the State Bar of Texas. [1]
Awards and associations
- 2009 Pathfinder's Award, TCWLA
- Former member, Judicial Ethics Committee, Judicial Selection of the State Bar of Texas
- Former instructor, Texas Justice Court Training Center
- Member, South Austin Civic Club
- Member, Travis County Women Lawyer's Association
- Board of Directors, Oak Hill Business & Professional's Association
- Former Advisory Board Member, Austin Community College's Center for Public Policy and Political Studies[1]
Elections
2016
- Main article: Texas judicial elections, 2016
Goodwin ran for another term on the Texas Third District Court of Appeals. No challengers filed to run against her.[2]
Election results
November 8 general election
| Texas Third District Court of Appeals, Place 4, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Melissa Goodwin Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 625,200 | |
| Total Votes (100% reporting) | 625,200 | |||
| Source: Texas Secretary of State Official Results | ||||
March 1 primary election
| Texas Third District Court of Appeals, Seat 4, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Melissa Goodwin Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 204,385 | |
| Total Votes (100% Reporting) | 204,385 | |||
| Source: Texas Secretary of State Official Results | ||||
2010
- See also: Texas judicial elections, 2010
Goodwin defeated Democrat Kurt Kuhn in the general election, winning 57.1% of the vote.[3]
Campaign finance law violation
Goodwin was fined $2,050 in June 2011 by the Texas Ethics Commission "for accepting a $25,000 loan from her father- and mother-in-law."[4] Texas judicial candidates cannot receive more than $5,000 from a single donor per election. The $5,000 limit is waived in the case of relatives. Goodwin explained she thought the loan was within campaign finance law because it came from relatives. The Ethics Commission ruled that the waiver only applies to relatives who are within the "second degree of consanguinity" and that in-laws do not meet the criteria.[4]
Noteworthy cases
Tom DeLay's convictions for illegal campaign contributions, overturned
On September 19, 2013, Tom DeLay, the former Republican Party House Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, was acquitted of all charges, overturning his 2010 conviction for his illegal campaign finance activities in the 2002 Texas elections.[5]
In 2010, DeLay had been convicted of conspiracy and money laundering for illegally funneling money from corporations to Texas candidates. He was sentenced to three years in prison and it effectively ended his political career. Following conviction, DeLay was out on bail, pending his appeal. The prosecution argued that DeLay's motives involved gaining a Republican majority in the Texas State Legislature, redrawing district lines, and thereby keeping a political stronghold in the United States House of Representatives.[6]
The Texas Third District Court of Appeals overturned DeLay's convictions. Justice Melissa Goodwin wrote the majority opinion and was joined by Justice Gaultney.[5]
Justice Goodwin, in her opinion, stated: “The fundamental problem with the State’s case was its failure to prove proceeds of criminal activity.” Justice Jones, in his dissent, opined: "A rational juror hearing the evidence presented in this trial could have found that the relevant corporate contributions to TRMPAC (Texans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee) were made with the intent that they be used to support individual candidates or be put to other purposes not authorized by the state election laws."[6]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Campaign website, "About Melissa Goodwin"
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2016 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County," accessed December 19, 2015
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Live Unofficial Election Results"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Austin American-Statesman, "Texas Digest: 3rd Court judge fined," June 3, 2011
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 NPR.org, "Tom DeLay's Conviction Overturned On Appeal," September 19, 2013
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Statesman.com, "DeLay appellate lawyer: ‘We won the Super Bowl’," September 19, 2013
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
