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Sandra Watts
Sandra Watts (Democratic Party) was a judge of the Texas 117th District Court. She assumed office in 2014. She left office on December 31, 2022.
Watts (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for judge of the Texas 117th District Court. She won in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Biography
Watts has a B.A. from Texas Tech University and a J.D. from South Texas College of Law.[1] Prior to attending law school, Watts was a teacher at Gregory-Portland High School.[2]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for Texas 117th District Court
Incumbent Sandra Watts won election in the general election for Texas 117th District Court on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Sandra Watts (D) | 100.0 | 59,818 | |
| Total votes: 59,818 | |||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas 117th District Court
Incumbent Sandra Watts advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas 117th District Court on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Sandra Watts | 100.0 | 10,802 | |
| Total votes: 10,802 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
2014
See also: Texas judicial elections, 2014
Watts ran for re-election to the 117th District Court.
Primary: She ran unopposed in the Democratic primary on March 4, 2014.
General: She won without opposition in the general election on November 4, 2014.
[3][4]
2010
Watts was re-elected to the 117th District Court after running unopposed.[5]
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]
See also
| Nueces County, Texas | Texas | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Martindale, "Sandra Lee Watts Judge Profile," accessed April 22, 2014
- ↑ Corpus Christi Caller Times, "Mikal Watts talks openly about the criticism and scandals he's faced," February 3, 2008
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2014 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County (M-Z)"
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedelect - ↑ Corpus Christi Caller Times, "Candidates now final for March primary ballot," January 4, 2010
- ↑ 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
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
