Garland McInnis

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Garland McInnis
Image of Garland McInnis


Garland "Mack" McInnis was a 2016 candidate for the Texas 174th District Court in Texas.[1] McInnis was defeated in the primary election on March 1, 2016.

McInnis was also a 2014 judicial candidate for the 185th District Court in Texas.[2]

He was also formerly a candidate for the 351st District Court in 2012 and the Democratic candidate for the Texas District 230 Court in 2010. As of 2016, he served as an Assistant Harris County Attorney.[3]

Education

McInnis graduated from the University of South Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy. His J.D. is from the University of Houston.[4][5]

Career

  • 2005 - Present: Attorney, Harris County Attorney's Office
  • 1974-2005: Owner, Law Offices of Garland McInnis[6][7][5]

Elections

2016

See also: Texas local trial court judicial 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.[8] Hazel Jones defeated Raul Rodriguez and Mack McInnis in the Texas 174th District Court Democratic primary.[1]

Texas 174th District Court, Democratic Primary, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Hazel Jones 51.24% 81,854
Raul Rodriguez 34.72% 55,459
Mack McInnis 14.04% 22,422
Total Votes 159,735
Source: Harris County, Texas, "Democratic Party Cumulative Report-Unofficial," 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.[9]

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."[10]

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;*[11]
  • 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.[9]

*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[9]

Issues

See also: Ballotpedia's local judicial candidate survey

McInnis participated in Ballotpedia's 2016 survey of local judicial candidates. The following sections display his responses to the survey questions. When asked what non-judicial legal experience qualifies him to be a judge, the candidate made the following statement:

“ Board Certified Criminal Law, TBLS, lead counsel in around 300 jury trials mostly felonies including capital cases and multi-defendant Federal cases, Texas Monthly Super Lawyer 2003 & 2004, former Adjunct Professor, So. Tx.College of Law, I often serve as a speaker for Criminal Law seminars and courses[12][13] ”

When asked why he was running for this particular court seat, the candidate made the following statement:

“ I want to address needed changes in the Harris County Criminal Justice system and I hope to convince the Harris County Judges' Board to make changes in the topics below (no. 15).[12][13] ”

When asked to identify one judge, past or present, who he admires, the candidate made the following statement:

“ Judge Pete Moore[12][13] ”

When asked about his primary concern regarding today's judicial system in his state, the candidate made the following statement:

“ 1) ending the key-man, pick-a-pal, system of grand jury selection; 2) promoting early appointment of attorneys at magistration; 3) revitalizing the pretrial release program so that bail bond companies do not control the overcrowded jail population; 4) expanding the use of special dockets, such as mental health, veterans, and drug courts; and lastly, 5) scrutinizing cases involving younger defendants so that their cases are not hastily sent to adult court because of the nature of the alleged crime.[12][13] ”


Additional themes

McInnis' campaign website listed the following themes for 2016:

“

I want to...

  • Clean up the Grand Jury & attorney assignment system.
  • Stress the use of recognized science in all court cases.
  • Relieve pressed Harris County taxpayers by using shorter or probated sentences for minor offenders to free up jail space for dangerous, violent offenders.
  • Stop the use of expensive "for profit" jails for petty offenders.
  • Protect crime victims without violating a defendant's right to a fair trial.
  • Put tough, decisive and fair practices to work in the Harris County Criminal Justice System.

[13]

”
—Mack McInnis (2016), [14]

2014

See also: Texas judicial elections, 2014
McInnis ran for election to the 185th District Court.
Primary: He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary on March 4, 2014.
General: He was defeated in the general election on November 4, 2014, after receiving 44.4 percent of the vote. He competed against Susan Brown. [2][15][16] 

2012

McInnis ran for election to the 351st District Court and was defeated by incumbent Mark Kent Ellis.[17][18]

See also: Texas judicial elections, 2012

2010

McInnis was defeated by incumbent Belinda Hill in the general election.[19][20]

See also: Texas district court judicial elections, 2010

Awards and associations

  • McInnis is LexisNexis, Martindale-Hubbell rated AV Preeminent.[5]
  • In 2003 and 2004 he was selected a Texas SuperLawyer.[21]
  • He is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.[22] "
  • As an Adjunct Professor at South Texas College of Law he received the Student Bar Association's Adjunct Professor Excellence Award.[23]
  • While a law student at the University of Houston Law Center, McInnis acted as Chief Justice of the Student Court.[5][24]

External links

Publications

Sample Legal Articles, Papers and Speaking Engagements:

  1. "Pointers on Voir Dire & Admissibility of Evidence."[29]
  2. "A Practical Approach to the Rules of Evidence."[30]
  3. "Admissibility of Drug Tests in T.D.F.P.S. Cases."[31]
  4. "Cross Examination of Sexual Assault Victims."[32]
  5. "Defense of Child Sexual Assault Defendants."[33]
  6. "Criminal Trial Preparation & Techniques."[34]
  7. "Voir Dire in Child Abuse Cases."[35]
  8. "Voir Dire in Sexual Abuse Cases."[36]
  9. "Selections of Points of Texas Criminal Evidence that Differ From the Federal Rule's of Evidence or Prior Texas Practice."[37]
  10. Course Director and Panel Member, "Federal Practice Seminar."[38]

Two Case Examples

1. Benavides vs. State. A case where Benavides was indicted in the capital murder of a police officer. In a highly publicized trial, the jury rejected the capital option and found the defendant guilty of a lesser offense.[39]

2. State vs. Leslie Parnell Felder. Charged with capital muder, Felder confessed to beating and shooting a victim who was bound by duct tape. McInnis and his co-counsel Jim Leitner were able to prove that although guilty of robbery, Felder did not participate in the murder and had confessed to cover a family member's presence at the scene.[40]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Texas Secretary of State, "2014 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County (A-L)"
  3. ↑ Garland "Mack" McInnis, Judicial Candidates - 230th Criminal District Court
  4. ↑ Garland Deen McInnis, Jr. - Lawyer Profile on Martindale.com."
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Garland McInnis's Campaign Website
  6. ↑ LinkedIn, "Garland 'Mack' McInnis Profile," accessed August 25, 2014
  7. ↑ Official campaign website of Mack McInnis, "About Mack," accessed August 25, 2014
  8. ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 18, 2015
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Texas," archived October 3, 2014
  10. ↑ Texas Courts Online, "Administrative Judicial Regions," accessed September 12, 2014
  11. ↑ Texas State Historical Association, "Judiciary," accessed September 12, 2014
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Ballotpedia's local judicial candidate survey, 2016, "Mack McInnis's Responses," February 23, 2016
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  14. ↑ Mack McInnis for Judge, "Home," accessed February 17, 2016
  15. ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2014 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County (M-Z)" (Search "Harris")
  16. ↑ Harris County Texas, "Democratic Party Cumulative Report - March 4, 2014 Primary Election," March 5, 2014 (dead link)
  17. ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2012 General Election Results," November 6, 2012
  18. ↑ Harris County, Texas-2012 General Elections Results
  19. ↑ The Houston Chronicle, Harris County Election Results
  20. ↑ Texas Secretary of State, Democratic Primary Winners
  21. ↑ Attorney Profile of Garland McInnis on Superlawyers.com
  22. ↑ Search, "Texas Board Legal Specialization Houston McInnis."
  23. ↑ "SBA Awards," Annotations, South Texas College of Law, 17:7, April/May 1989.
  24. ↑ Certificate, signed by Rick Fine, President of the Student Association, and Phillip Hoffman, President of the University of Houston, dated April 19, 1974.
  25. ↑ Attorney Profile of Garland McInnis on Superlawyers.com
  26. ↑ Search, "Texas Board Legal Specialization Houston McInnis."
  27. ↑ "SBA Awards," Annotations, South Texas College of Law, 17:7, April/May 1989.
  28. ↑ Certificate, signed by Rick Fine, President of the Student Association, and Phillip Hoffman, President of the University of Houston, dated April 19, 1974.
  29. ↑ Search & Seizure Workshop, Office of the Harris County Attorney, March 19, 2010
  30. ↑ Search & Seizure Workshop, North Harris County Bar Association, South Texas College of Law, Feb. 26, 2010
  31. ↑ State Bar of Texas 34th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, August 11-14, 2008]
  32. ↑ Houston Bar Association, Nov. 20, 2007
  33. ↑ Criminal Law Institute, Galveston, Nov. 18, 2006
  34. ↑ Criminal Law Institute, Galveston, May 20, 2004
  35. ↑ Criminal Law Institute, Galveston, Jan. 17, 2002
  36. ↑ Docket Call, May/June 1999
  37. ↑ Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, July 31, 1987
  38. ↑ Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association Continuing Legal Education Seminar, March 10, 1983
  39. ↑ Benavides vs. State, 01-94-00987
  40. ↑ Houston Chronicle, Courts & Police, Dec. 5, 1987.


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