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Patrick Simmons
Ballotpedia provides comprehensive election coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population as well as mayoral, city council, and district attorney election coverage in state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities. This judge is outside of that coverage scope and does not receive scheduled updates.
Patrick H. Simmons is the judge of Texas District 77.[1] He was first elected in 2008 and assumed office in 2009. Simmons was re-elected on November 6, 2012, to a four-year term.
Simmons won re-election without opposition in 2016. The general election took place on November 8, 2016.[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] Incumbent Patrick Simmons ran unopposed in the Texas 77th District Court Republican primary.[2]
| Texas 77th District Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
 Patrick Simmons Incumbent | ||
Patrick Simmons 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.[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]
2012
Simmons was re-elected without opposition to the 77th District Court.[7]
- See also: Texas judicial elections, 2012
Education
Simmons received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and his J.D. from Baylor University in 1979.[8]
Career
- 2009-2016: Judge, Texas District 77
- 1985-2008: Partner, Cannon and Simmons Law
- 1980-1985: Limestone County district attorney
Simmons was the youngest person ever to be elected district attorney in Limestone County.[9]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Limestone County, "77th District Court"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2012 General Election Results," November 6, 2012
- ↑ Martindale.com, "Patrick Simmons," accessed December 26, 2014
- ↑ Mexia Daily News, "Attorney Pat Simmons candidate for 77th District Judge position," January 7, 2008
