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Melody Wilkinson
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2028
Melody Wilkinson (Republican Party) is a judge of the Texas 17th District Court. Her current term ends on December 31, 2028.
Wilkinson (Republican Party) ran for re-election for judge of the Texas 17th District Court. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Elections
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Tarrant County, Texas (2024)
General election
General election for Texas 17th District Court
Incumbent Melody Wilkinson won election in the general election for Texas 17th District Court on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Melody Wilkinson (R) | 100.0 | 529,815 | |
| Total votes: 529,815 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas 17th District Court
Incumbent Melody Wilkinson advanced from the Republican primary for Texas 17th District Court on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Melody Wilkinson | 100.0 | 108,981 | |
| Total votes: 108,981 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Wilkinson in this election.
2020
See also: Municipal elections in Tarrant County, Texas (2020)
General election
General election for Texas 17th District Court
Incumbent Melody Wilkinson won election in the general election for Texas 17th District Court on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Melody Wilkinson (R) | 100.0 | 537,858 | |
| Total votes: 537,858 | |||
| = 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 17th District Court
Incumbent Melody Wilkinson advanced from the Republican primary for Texas 17th District Court on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Melody Wilkinson | 100.0 | 102,093 | |
| Total votes: 102,093 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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.[1] Incumbent Melody Wilkinson ran unopposed in the Texas 17th District Court Republican primary.[2]
| Texas 17th District Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Melody Wilkinson Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 135,441 |
| Total Votes | 135,441 | |
| Source: Tarrant County, Texas, "Unofficial Results," accessed March 2, 2016 | ||
Melody Wilkinson won without opposition in the general election.
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.[3]
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."[4]
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;*[5]
- 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.[3]
*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[3]
2012
Wilkinson was re-elected without opposition to the 17th District Court.
- See also: Texas judicial elections, 2012
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Melody Wilkinson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Melody Wilkinson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Education
Wilkinson received her undergraduate degree from Angelo State University and her J.D. from Texas Tech University (1988).[6][7]
Career
Wilkinson is a former attorney for Cooley Manion Jones LLP, where she practiced civil litigation, business litigation, toxic torts and employment law.[8]
Awards and associations
- 2003: Delta Zeta Woman of the Year
- 2003: Named one of "40 Under 40" by Fort Worth Business Community
- 2001: Named one of "40 Under 40" in Texas Lawyer
- 2001: Honoree, Great Woman of Texas
- 2001: Presidential Citation and named "Outstanding Young Lawyer of Tarrant County," State Bar of Texas
- 2000: Honoree, YWCA Tribute to Women in Business
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation
- Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
- Fellow, Tarrant County Bar Foundation
- Regional Chair, Texas Bar Foundation
- 2004-2007: Commission for Lawyer Discipline
- 2004-2005: Secretary-Treasurer, Tarrant County Bar Association
- 2002-2004: Director, Tarrant County Bar Association
- 2002-2004: District 7A Grievance Committee
- 2002-2004: Fellow, American Bar Association - Business Law Section
- 2000-2001: President, Texas Young Lawyers Association
- 1997-1998: Chair of the Board, Texas Young Lawyers Association
- 1992-1993: President, Fort Worth-Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association[8]
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 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
- ↑ Martindale.com: Melody Wilkinson
- ↑ State Bar of Texas: Ms. Melody M. Wilkinson
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Cooley Manion Jones - Counsellors At Law: Melody M. Wilkinson profile (Zoominfo cached page)
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
