Stephanie Gardella

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Stephanie Gardella

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 8, 2022

Education

Associate

Edmonds Community College, 2001

Personal

Birthplace

Seattle, Wash.

Profession

Chief operating officer

Contact

Campaign website

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Stephanie Gardella (Democratic Party) ran for election for the Precinct 2 judge of the Denton County Justice of the Peace Courts in Texas. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Gardella completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Stephanie Gardella was born in Seattle, Washington. She earned an associate degree from Edmonds Community College in 2001. Her career experience includes working as a chief operating officer and being a certified paralegal and master life coach.

Elections

2022

See also: Municipal elections in Denton County, Texas (2022)

General election

General election for Denton County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2

Incumbent James R. DePiazza defeated Stephanie Gardella in the general election for Denton County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	James R. DePiazza (R)	56.8	33,860
		Stephanie Gardella (D)	43.2	25,752

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 59,612
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Denton County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2

Stephanie Gardella advanced from the Democratic primary for Denton County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stephanie Gardella	100.0	4,179

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,179
= 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 Denton County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2

Incumbent James R. DePiazza advanced from the Republican primary for Denton County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	James R. DePiazza	100.0	6,904

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,904
= 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.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Stephanie Gardella completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gardella's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

For over 25 years, I have provided a strong leadership presence. Insightful, dedicated and fair-minded, I have committed my life to advocating for the marginalized and the pursuit of justice for all. I hold myself to an exceptional standard of ethical conduct and am dedicated to making a difference both on the bench and in the community. My background is a rich mix of operations, human resources, public relations, executive, and legal expertise. I spent several years as a certified paralegal, appearing frequently before the court. Currently, I am the Chief Operating Officer for a Dallas based company. I live in Little Elm with my husband Rick. Together we have five children, Hunter, Logan, Jessa, Ryan, and Colin, and two grandchildren, Andrea and Aiden. In my free time, I love to listen to live music and spend time in nature. My experience, character, and courage make me an exceptional candidate for Justice of the Peace in Denton County.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Without integrity, nothing works.
• Partisan politics and party loyalty have no place in a courtroom.
• Every citizen should expect our courts and our judges to to administer justice fairly and impartially.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Judges and courts exist to protect our liberties and our most fundamental rights. Our courts serve as a haven for the peaceful resolution of conflicts and disputes by design. Those who come to participate in our justice system should leave knowing that our courts and our judges, administered justice fairly and impartially. The Constitution must be the authority for service to the people in our community. My interest is to contribute to the common good. There will be no partisan politics but civil rights, not party loyalty but social justice in my courtroom. My values and direction come from my conscience and the needs of our community.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Dr. Maya Angelou’s life inspires me to be a true leader through bravery, passion, and impactful action.

Dr. Angelou was indeed a remarkably phenomenal woman, with who I share a similar childhood background of adversity and misfortune. Dr. Angelou once said that her mission statement in life was not merely to survive but to thrive; and do so with some passion, compassion, humor, and style. I share a similar approach to my life.

Inspiring, passionate, and impactful, Dr. Angelou did not allow her upbringing to stop her from making a lasting impact on the world. Instead, she led by example, staying positive and strong through any situation. Even after her death, she continues to teach women that confidence and being comfortable in your own skin no matter what your background is can take you far.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

They are committed to the highest degrees of integrity. They are committed to deliver the best administration possible. They are committed to fair and transparent governance, to delivering high quality services, to a stewardship of government funds that will maximize cost-effectiveness and for accountability.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

For over 25 years I have provided a strong leadership presence. Insightful, dedicated and fair-minded, I have committed my life to advocating for the marginalized and the pursuit of justice for all. I hold myself to an exceptional standard of ethical conduct and am dedicated to making a difference both on the bench and in the community. My background is a rich mix of operations, human resources, public relations, executive, and legal expertise. I spent several years as a certified paralegal, appearing frequently before the court. My experience, character, and courage make her an exceptional candidate for Justice of the Peace in Denton County.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Those who participate in our justice system have a constitutional expectation that the court will administer justice fairly and impartially. Lady Justice is blind. There is no place for partisan politics or religious ideology in a courtroom.

What legacy would you like to leave?

My story.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff

There is a depth of simplicity displayed in the character of Pooh. The book is a lighthearted, exceptional read and so thought provoking. It is one of the best books of wisdom I have ever read.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Interplanet Janet, she was a galaxy girl.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Get Together by The Youngbloods

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Finding my power.

I suffered severe physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect as a child. I spent years in a perpetual state of alarm and heightened sense of who was around me. It was fight or flight every day, all day. I was like that for years and depressed because I did not believe that the world was safe; people certainly weren’t safe. I was confident that everyone around me had ulterior motives and that no one could be trusted.

I kept the abuse to myself for years, owning denial, guilt, shame, fear, and trust issues. I didn’t love myself, and I didn’t want to burden anybody else.

Speaking out has been about healing, justice, forgiveness. I believe communication is vital with all forms of trauma. The individuals stole my power and I took my power back. That will form my legacy – communicating and speaking my truth to empower others. This has been a long journey, a lot of hard work, many tears, and many inner reflections. I can honestly say that I am powerful, resilient, and I love myself for who I am.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

A Justice of the Peace presides over cases involving misdemeanors, small civil disputes, landlord/tenant disputes, and truancies. They also conduct inquests and perform marriage ceremonies.

In our society judges are obliged to make their rulings as consistent as reasonably possible with previous judicial decisions on the same subject. However, the state of Texas does not require Justices of the Peace to follow legal precedent. They are free to make rule as they choose. That it why it is so important for you to pay attention to who is elected to serve on the JP bench.

How would you describe your legal philosophy?

Judges and courts exist to protect our liberties and our most fundamental rights. Our courts serve as a haven for the peaceful resolution of conflicts and disputes by design. Those who participate in our justice system have a constitutional expectation that the court will administer justice fairly and impartially.

Without integrity, nothing works. My interest is to contribute to the common good, with the constitution as the highest authority in my service to this community. Lady Justice is blind. There is no place for partisan politics or religious ideology in a courtroom. When I am elected, you can expect my courtroom to champion civil rights and social justice.

Is there a particular judge, past or present, whom you admire?

I admire Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She was inspirational to so many women eager to make the world a better place, not just me. She was brilliant, passionate, tireless and selfless.

Do you believe that empathy is an important quality for a judge?

Yes I do. I believe that people without social emotions like empathy are not objective decision-makers.

Have you ever been rated by a Bar Association? If so, what was the rating?

No

Why are you running for this particular court seat?

I am running because without integrity, nothing works. This JP court has not worked for our entire community- maybe ever. I decided to take on this fight to bring integrity back to the bench.
My interest is to contribute to the common good, with the constitution as the highest authority in my service to this community.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for a judge to have previous experience in government or politics?

No I don't. I believe that judicial positions should not be political.

What is your primary concern about today's legal system in your state?

An outdated and unfair criminal justice system is having devastating consequences for crime prevention, rehabilitation, and fair justice.

Would you be interested in serving on a higher court in the future? If so, which court appeals to you?

N/A

Do you believe that Bar Association ratings are an accurate reflection of a judge’s ability?

N/A

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Denton County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2

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