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Laura Parker
Laura Parker was a judge of the Texas District 386.[1] She was re-elected on November 6, 2012.[2]
Parker lost her re-election bid in 2016.[3] The general election took place on November 8, 2016.
Biography
Parker received her undergraduate degree from Vassar College and her J.D. from St. Mary's University School of Law.[4] She was assistant district attorney for Bexar County prior to her election.[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 Laura Parker ran unopposed in the Texas 386th District Court Republican primary.[3]
| Texas 386th District Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Laura Parker Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 86,110 |
| Total Votes | 86,110 | |
| Source: Bexar County, Texas, "2016 Joint Primary Elections," accessed March 2, 2016 | ||
Arcelia Trevino defeated incumbent Laura Parker in the Texas 386th District Court general election.
| Texas 386th District Court, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Arcelia Trevino |
52.01% | 295,113 | |
| Republican | Laura Parker Incumbent | 47.99% | 272,270 | |
| Total Votes | 567,383 | |||
| Source: Bexar County, Texas, "Official Results," November 16, 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]
2012
Parker ran for re-election to the 386th District Court and defeated challenger Stephen D. Smith with 50 percent of the vote.[9][2]
- See also: Texas judicial elections, 2012
Endorsements
2016
Parker's campaign endorsements included the following organizations:[10]
- San Antonio Police Officers Association
- Deputy Sheriff's Association of Bexar County
- San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association
- BexarPAC-San Antonio Physicians PAC
- San Antonio Express-News
Awards and associations
Associations
- Communities in Schools
- ChildSafe Advisory Council
- SA 100
- Impact San Antonio
- Juvenile Law Council of the State Bar of Texas
- Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation[4]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 386th District Court
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 woai.com-District Judge, 386th Judicial District
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Court Website Bio
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2012 General Election Results," November 6, 2012
- ↑ Judge Laura Parker, "Endorsements," accessed October 13, 2016
