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Traci DeAnne Hutton
Traci DeAnne Hutton was a 2016 candidate for the Texas 96th District Court in Texas.[1] She was defeated in the primary election on March 1, 2016.
Education
Hutton earned her undergraduate degree in finance from Texas Tech University. She later received a J.D. from Texas A&M University School of Law.[2]
Career
Hutton is an attorney in private practice focused on business and real estate law.[2]
Campaign themes
2016
Hutton's campaign website listed the following themes for the 2016 campaign:
| “ |
As our new district judge, Traci will apply the law faithfully, oppose any form of judicial activism and will never legislate from the bench. Traci is steadfast in her commitment to upholding the principles of limited government, personal responsibility and religious freedom. Serving as Precinct Chair for years on the Tarrant County Republican Executive Committee, Traci has fought to advance our conservative values at the grassroots level. With her comprehensive legal experience, conservative judicial philosophy and unwavering commitment to protecting individual liberties, Traci is ready to be our next District Judge of Tarrant County. Traci knows that conservative values must be defended in our courts. As your conservative judge, Traci pledges to uphold the Constitution, protect private property rights and to never legislate from the bench. [3] |
” |
| —Traci DeAnne Hutton (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.[4] Incumbent R.H. Wallace Jr. defeated Traci DeAnne Hutton in the Texas 96th District Court Republican primary.[1]
| Texas 96th District Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 R.H. Wallace Jr. Incumbent |
53.63% | 80,525 |
| Traci DeAnne Hutton | 46.37% | 69,618 |
| Total Votes | 150,143 | |
| Source: Tarrant County, Texas, "Unofficial Results," accessed March 2, 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.[5]
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."[6]
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;*[7]
- 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.[5]
*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[5]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Hutton for Judge, "Home," accessed February 16, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 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
