Endorsements: Texas Alliance for Life, Bastrop Sheriff Terry Pickering, Travis County Sheriff's Law Enforcement Assoc., Republican Liberty Caucus, San Angelo Standard Times
Welcome!
Thank you for your interest in my campaign for the 3rd Court of Appeals. The 3rd Court of Appeals is an appellate court responsible for reviewing decisions of criminal and civil trial courts throughout the 24 counties it serves. For more information on the 3rd Court of Appeals, its jurisdiction, and the counties it serves, please click here. If you are already familiar with my campaign and want to know what you can do NOW to help, please click here.
Experience to Serve
I am the only candidate in this race with any judicial experience. I was honored to be the first Republican elected to serve as Justice of the Peace, in Precinct 3 of Travis County. As Justice of the Peace, I presided over thousands of civil, criminal and juvenile trials. More importantly, I learned that each and every case before me was of the utmost importance to the people involved in that case.
More recently, I served as Judge of the 427th District Court of Travis County, a court responsible for trying the most serious of criminal cases in Travis County. Resolution of these cases necessarily involved either an invocation or waiver of a constitutional or statutory right. The facts in each case differed greatly. As such, I was guided by principles firmly rooted in the United States Constitution and Texas Law, and I endeavored to strictly apply those laws to the unique facts of each case. To this day, I remain committed to assuring that each case is considered under the Constitution and Laws of the State of Texas, and to never legislate from the bench.
I also have over 8 years appellate experience as an attorney for the Court of Criminal Appeals, the final appellate court for all criminal cases in Texas. I first served as a Briefing Attorney to the Honorable Lawrence E. Meyers, and then served as a Staff Attorney responsible for advising the entire Court. Those years of experience guide me today. From them, I have learned the importance of conducting thoughtful and thorough research, the importance of respecting prior decisions, and the need for strict adherence to the Constitution and laws as they are written, not as I might whish them to be.
I am currently a Partner at Potts & Reilly, L.L.P. My practice areas include appeals, criminal and civil defensive work, and administrative law. In the field of administrative law, I typically work on cases involving ethics, environmental issues, and professional licensing.
Leadership You Can Trust
Based upon my experience, I have been appointed to serve in other leadership positions, both for the State of Texas, and within my community. I currently serve as a Commissioner for the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education, the agency responsible for screening, monitoring, licensing and training law enforcement and corrections officers for the State of Texas. I also serve on the Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas, the entity charged with drafting opinions giving lawyers guidance on ethical rules and practices. Locally, I have served on the Travis County Juvenile Board, and was appointed to serve on the advisory board of the Austin Community College Center for Public Policy and Political Studies.
I have demonstrated a commitment to preserving the integrity of the Texas Judiciary. As such I was honored to be appointed to the Texas Judicial Counsel, first by Chief Justice Tom Phillips, and again by Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson. I have also served on the Judicial Ethics Committee and was responsible for drafting opinions giving Texas judges guidance on the rules governing ethical judicial conduct. I have also served on the Education Committee, and have been an instructor for the Texas Justice of the Peace and Constable's Association.
If given the opportunity to serve as Justice for the 3rd Court of Appeals, I will utilize all of my experiences and will continue my commitment to preserve the integrity of the Texas Judiciary. I will be guided, as I have in my past experience as Judge, by the Constitution and Laws of this country and this great State. I will work every day to continue to earn your support.
Melissa