for the Court of Crininal Appeals):
Supreme Court Chief Justice: Jim Jordan
Democratic candidate Jim Jordan, who is running for chief justice against incumbent Wallace Jefferson, is a highly experienced, competent candidate that would provide the court the diversity of perspective it currently lacks. Jordan, a practicing attorney with more than 20 years of experience, has actively served the community as a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and the Texas Association of Defense Counsel. Though Jordan is running as a Democrat, he believes that partisan politics should not interfere with the stance justices take on court cases. In a court that has been criticized for exceeding its Constitutional authority and ignoring the role of juries, we believe Jordan will use his legal knowledge and experience to bring the court back on track.
Supreme Court Justice, Place 8: Linda Yanez
While her opponent Phil Johnson is a respectable candidate, Linda Yanez is well-qualified to be part of the dissenting voice the court lacks. Yanez is a former Harvard Law School instructor and has been serving on the 13th Court of Appeals in Texas since Gov. Ann Richards appointed her in 1993. In her time on the court, she has authored more than 800 opinions and served on panel for more than 3,500. Yanez has the potential to bring a new perspective to the Supreme Court while moving quickly to help the court work through its backlog of cases.
Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3: Susan Strawn
The experience of working with the United States Department of Justice for 14 years, as well as two additional years’ service with the United States Department of Treasury, has given Susan Strawn a modern, well-rounded knowledge of the inner workings of the nation’s court systems. A native Texan, Strawn has spent much of her public service career traveling to places like the Balkans and West Africa on behalf of the federal government. Her work in West Africa focused on the enforcement of anti-money laundering, anti-corruption and counter-terrorist financing laws. Strawn’s impressive resume leads us to conclude that she will work to provide necessary improvements to Texas’ Court of Criminal Appeals. Recently, the court has been criticized by others in the legal community for a history of absent and irresponsible judges. Thankfully, Strawn seeks to offer fresh and innovative solutions for the court’s future.
http://www.dailytexanonline.com/endorsements%252C_part_iii_the_courts