Michael Seiler
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Michael Seiler is the former judge for the 435th District Court in Texas.[1] He was appointed to the court by Republican Governor Rick Perry on June 5, 2008.[2]
Seiler was running for re-election in 2016.[3] He announced the suspension of his re-election campaign on February 12, 2016, and resigned from office on February 16, 2016. Seiler's resignation was spurred by an investigation by the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office into allegations of inappropriately obtaining juror information. His resignation documents prohibit future efforts to run for judicial office. Seiler's name appeared on the primary ballot, but he was required to withdraw from the runoff election against Patty Maginnis.[4]
Education
Seiler received his undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas in 1989 and his J.D. from the Creighton University School of Law in 1992.[2]
Career
From 1994 until his appointment to the 435th District Court in 2008, Seiler served as a prosecutor for the Montgomery County District Attorney's office.[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top vote recipient did not receive a majority of the primary vote.[5] Patty Maginnis defeated Incumbent Michael Seiler (withdrawn) and Thomas Brewer III in the Texas 435th District Court Republican primary.[3]
| Texas 435th District Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Michael Seiler (withdrawn) Incumbent | 41.81% | 29,220 |
 Patty Maginnis |
40.88% | 28,565 |
| Thomas Brewer III | 17.31% | 12,095 |
| Total Votes (100) | 69,880 | |
| Source: Montgomery County, Texas, "March 1, 2016 Primary Elections," accessed March 1, 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.[6]
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."[7]
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;*[8]
- 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.[6]
*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[6]
2012
Seiler was re-elected without opposition to the 435th District Court on November 6, 2012.[9]
- See also: Texas judicial elections, 2012
Noteworthy events
Resignation from office
On February 16, 2016, Seiler resigned from office to avoid prosecution on charges of inappropriately obtaining juror information. He allegedly disclosed confidential information for at least one juror in an invitation to a campaign event. Darin Bailey made the allegation to the district attorney after receiving a letter from Seiler's re-election campaign on February 1, 2016. Seiler denied wrongdoing through attorney George Parnham, but reached an agreement with the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office to avoid further legal proceedings. Seiler had argued that state statutes were unclear in defining the distinction beyween official and re-election purposes for the use of government information. District Attorney Brett Ligon told local media that Seiler's resignation includes forfeiture of qualifications for a judicial pension and a prohibition on future efforts to seek a judicial seat.[4]
Seiler publicly reprimanded
On April 24, 2015, Seiler was publicly reprimanded by the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct for his conduct and behavior towards attorneys representing sex offenders in his courtroom. Specifically, the commission found that Seiler "engaged in numerous instances in which he treated attorneys from the State Counsel for Offenders office, as well as one of their expert witnesses, in a manner that was less than patient, dignified and courteous."[10][11] Commission findings include that Seiler told one attorney that she was "wasting everyone's time" and had a law degree and needed to "use it," and when she tried to make an objection, Seiler stated he would throw her out of his courtroom. Similarly, to another attorney representing an indigent defendant, Seiler made comments such as: "I’m not going to let you practice in my court" and "if you’re not going to do that, I’m going to have you thrown out of my courtroom.” To a third attorney, representing a homosexual defendant, Seiler stated that the attorney "would soon not have a job in this county," and told the attorney to stop questioning the jury panel since: "Nobody here is going to admit to liking homosexuals.”[10] According to the Houston Chronicle, Seiler has "virtually sole jurisdiction over the state's troubled treatment program for violent sexual predators."[12]
The commission also reprimanded Seiler for his conduct during a Texas Patriots PAC meeting where he discussed previous cases over which he had presided, and described various defendants as "psychopath individuals," as a "cheerleader killer," and a "pedophile rapist." He also identified the defendants by their names and displayed photos of them for the audience. The commission further ordered that Seiler complete fours hours of training with a mentor judge in the areas of "the appropriate treatment of attorneys, witnesses, and others with whom the judge deals in an official capacity," "avoiding bias and the appearance of bias," and "avoiding extrajudicial conduct that casts doubt on a judge’s capacity to act impartially and/or interferes with the proper performance of the judge’s duties."[10]
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Montgomery County, Texas, "435th District Court," accessed May 7, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Montgomery County, Texas, "Judge Michael T. Seiler," accessed May 7, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Courier of Montgomery County, "Seiler resigns from 435th bench, avoids criminal prosecution," February 16, 2016
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 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
- ↑ Montgomery County, Texas, "2012 General Election Results," accessed May 7, 2015
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct, "Public Reprimand and Order of Additional Education: Honorable Michael Thomas Seiler," April 24, 2015
- ↑ ABA Journal, "Texas judge reprimanded for Hannibal Lecter speech to Patriot PAC, impatient remarks," May 5, 2015
- ↑ The Houston Chronicle, "State commission reprimands Conroe judge over behavior, bias," May 1, 2015
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
