Amanda Harris
Amanda Harris was a 2016 candidate for the Hutchinson County Court in Texas.[1] She was defeated in the primary election on March 1, 2016.
Education
Harris earned her bachelor's degree in communication studies from Texas Tech University. She later received a J.D. from the Texas Tech University School of Law.[2]
Career
Harris is a private practice attorney.[3]
Campaign themes
2016
Harris' campaign website listed the following themes for 2016:
| “ |
Exceptional Experience At the age of 18, I began my first legal job as a file clerk in a Lubbock firm, Turner & Jordan, P.C. The ink was barely dry on my law license when I stood next to my first clients in a courtroom. Law school teaches the law, but it does not teach us to practice the law. In order to practice law, we must listen to the facts, ask relevant questions, research and know the law, and advise the client accordingly. The only way to learn this is to do it. I am the only candidate who has stood in front of a jury when the stakes are high and the rules are complicated. The Texas Rules of Evidence, the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure and the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure are complicated and must be used often in order try cases or sit as a judge. The law is complex and I am the only candidate with the relevant experience. Temperament Being a judge is about being open and fair minded. Whether it is you or a loved one in court, no one deserves to have their case heard by a judge who has made a decision before hearing all the evidence. In the decade plus that I have been an attorney, I’ve learned that things are not always as they seem and snap judgments create problems rather than solving them. Your county judge is the presiding officer of the commissioners court. I have the temperament to work cooperatively with the county commissioners while also providing a fresh perspective. County government is a delicate balance between doing the things that work and trying new strategies to get the most for the taxpayers of Hutchinson County. Hard Working I am the only candidate who has put in the hard work to obtain a law license. I have been a small business owner for the last decade. I have built a successful law practice by putting in time, effort, and heart - all while working together with my husband to raise our two girls. It has never been easy, but I do what it takes to get the job done. [4] |
” |
| —Amanda Harris (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.[5] Cindy Irwin defeated Amanda Harris in the Hutchinson County Court Republican primary.[1]
| Hutchinson County Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Cindy Irwin |
59.10% | 2,930 |
| Amanda Harris | 40.90% | 2,028 |
| Total Votes | 4,958 | |
| Source: NewsChannel 10, "Hutchinson County Ballot," March 1, 2016 | ||
Selection method
- See also: Partisan election of judges
Judges of the county courts are elected in partisan elections by the county they serve and serve four-year terms, with vacancies filled by a vote of the county commissioners.[6]
Qualifications
To serve on a county court, a judge must:[6]
- be at least 25 years old;
- be a resident of his or her respective county for at least two years; and
- have practiced law or served as a judge for at least four years preceding the election.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Amanda Harris for County Judge, "Why Vote Amanda Harris," accessed February 26, 2016
- ↑ Amanda Harris for County Judge, "Meet Amanda Harris," accessed February 26, 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
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Qualifications for Office," accessed January 14, 2016
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