Will Biard
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.
Will Biard is the judge of the 62nd District Court in Texas.[1] He was first elected in 2012, and began serving in 2013.[2][3]
Biard won re-election without opposition in 2016. The general election took place on November 8, 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 Will Biard ran unopposed in the Texas 62nd District Court Republican primary.[4]
| Texas 62nd District Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Will Biard Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 7,786 |
| Total Votes | 7,786 | |
| Source: Lamar County Elections, "Unofficial Results," accessed March 1, 2016 | ||
Will Biard 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.[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]
Education
Biard earned degrees in industrial technology and economics from Texas A&M-Commerce. He went on to receive his J.D. from the Texas Tech School of Law in 2001.[9][3]
Career
Prior to joining the bench in 2013, Biard was a partner in the law firm of McLaughlin, Hutchison and Biard, LLP. He also served as the CFO of Harrison, Walker & Harper. Additional political experience includes:
- 2010-2011: Mayor, City of Paris
- 2007-2011: Councilman, City of Paris[3]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Lamar County, "62nd District Court," accessed May 19, 2015
- ↑ Texas Tribune, "William 'Will' Biard," accessed May 19, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Texas State Directory Online, "Will Biard (R)," accessed May 19, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbio1
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
