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Philip Washington
Philip Washington was a 2016 candidate for the Texas 405th District Court in Texas.[1] He was defeated in the primary election on March 1, 2016.
Education
Washington earned his bachelor's degree from Loyola University New Orleans and his M.Ed. from the University of New Orleans. He later received his J.D. from the South Texas College of Law.[2]
Career
Washington began working as a senior felony prosecutor with the Galveston County Criminal District Attorney’s Office in 2010.[2]
Campaign themes
2016
Washington's campaign website listed the following themes for 2016:
| “ |
Respect the Professionals Legal practitioners are the backbone of both the Criminal and Civil legal systems. They must be treated with dignity and respect, as educated and experienced individuals, practicing before the Court. When they aren't treated as such, both systems fold. At the heart of my vision for the 405th is the goal of, not only valuing the time, energy, and efforts of practing attorneys, but, also taking steps to ensure that they regularly feel welcomed to practice in the 405th and have an earnest belief they will get a fair shake before a neutral Judge. Respect the Parties' Agreements The Parties to cases are in the best position to determine the merits of each case. They are the ones in the trenches. They go out and talk to witnesses, visit crime and accident scenes, take depositions, hash out their differences in mediation, and hire experts to analyze and interpret their findings. Because of this, the parties won't enter into any plea deals or settlements that are against their best interests. If elected, I will respect and accept the agreements that parties wish to freely enter into. I will not arbitrarily bust plea deals, unethically encourage parties to share case details with me, or immerse myself in the plea negotiation process in order to yield a result that I prefer. Further, I will always consider the full range of punishment in Criminal cases. Respect All Victims' Needs The Code of Criminal Procedure provides a very detailed list of rights that are afforded to victims of heinous crimes, such Sexual Assault, Kidnapping, Aggravated Robbery, Trafficking, and Injury to Children, the Elderly, and the Disabled. Often times, those who've been violated by suffering minor injuries or having their property taken or damaged, feel they are prevented from having their "day in Court," because their cases don't make it before a jury. It is my goal, when the parties aren't able to reach plea agreements or settlements, to freely allow them to present their cases to juries without being made to feel that their particular matter isn't important enough to utilize this staple of our legal system. Promote Judicial Economy The best functioning Courts are those that allow the people working in them to do what they do best. As Judge of the 405th, I will empower the attorneys to move cases by freely providing them with the Court settings needed to secure evidence, adequately evaluate their cases in light of the evidence received, and then, if unable to reach an agreement, set their cases for trial. Further, I will be a good steward of Taxpayer dollars by being present during trial periods, to ensure that money isn't needlessly wasted by unnecessarily hiring visiting Judges to preside over the Court's cases. Do the Job I'm Elected to Do Judges are, by design, neutral arbiters of facts. As such, a Judge's greatest showing of power is demonstrating the ability to not abuse it. If elected, I will ensure that I "referee the game without taking the field." In short, I will make certain to never attempt to put my own 1st Amendment rights above the Constitutional rights of any Defendant or other party practicing before me. [3] |
” |
| —Philip Washington (2016), [4] | ||
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] Incumbent Michelle Slaughter defeated Ben Roeder and Philip Washington in the Texas 405th District Court Republican primary.[1]
| Texas 405th District Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Michelle Slaughter Incumbent |
73.36% | 22,851 |
| Ben Roeder | 15.95% | 4,967 |
| Philip Washington | 10.69% | 3,330 |
| Total Votes | 31,148 | |
| Source: Galveston County, Texas, "Cumulative Report-Unofficial," 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]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 T. Philip Washington for 405th Judicial District Court, "Professional Experience," accessed February 24, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ T. Philip Washington for 405th Judicial District Court, "Platform," accessed February 24, 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
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
