(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in March. I am running these responses in the order that I receive them from the candidates. You can see all of my interviews as well as finance reports and other information on candidates on my 2014 Election page.)
Steven Kirkland
1. Who are you and what are you running for?
I am Judge Steven Kirkland and I am a Democratic candidate for Judge of the 113th Civil Judicial District Court in Harris County.
I grew up in West Texas. I moved to Houston to attend Rice University where I graduated in 1982. While at school, I got involved in Houston politics and have been involved ever since. I worked my way through law school as a paralegal at Texaco and attended school at night. In 1990, I earned a position litigating environmental cases for the company. In 1998, I left Texaco and represented residents of East Houston and Harris County in their lawsuit against the ship channel industries to clean up our air. I have also worked with Avenue Community Development Corporation to develop affordable housing. In 2001, Mayor Brown appointed me to serve as Municipal Court Judge where I served until elected to the 215th Civil District Court in 2008. I am currently in the City of Houston’s legal department representing Houston taxpayers.
You can learn more at www.kirklandforjudge.com.
2. What kind of cases does this court hear?
The 113th District court is a civil court hearing cases involving personal injury, property damages, contract disputes and other civil complaints.
3. Why are you running for this particular bench?
The incumbent was appointed by Rick Perry after I left the bench in 2012. The other District Courts are held by folks who served with me, while I was on the bench from 2009-2012. We didn’t always agree, but, we did serve as resources to each other and develop personal relationships. Since I have no relationship with the current incumbent, I chose this Court.
4. What are your qualifications for this job?
I have 12 years of judicial experience, 24 years of legal experience and over thirty years of community service to the people of Houston and Harris County. I have represented individual homeowners, international oil companies and Houston taxpayers. I have been on all sides of the Courtroom and have the legal and life experiences to serve you fairly, efficiently and with compassion.
In my twelve years as a Judge I have presided over more than 750 jury trials of cases ranging from traffic tickets and car crashes to complex construction and financial disputes. I have adjudicated the rights of neighbors over a fence and cases of citizens exercising their rights to free speech. In every Court that I have served in, I have adopted procedures and programs to improve the process. In Municipal Courts, I created the Homeless Recovery Court that allows folks working their way out of homelessness to clear up old warrants by performing community service at their shelter or program instead of going to jail. In the District Court, I mandated e-filing in all cases filed in my Court. I withdrew reference of tax foreclosure cases to the tax master and instead handled those matters directly. All of these are cost saving measures that increase accessibility to the courts and transparency in the decisions.
In addition to my professional experience, there are many tools from my life experience I have used to be a good judge. I am a recovering alcoholic. Twenty nine years ago I faced addiction, turned my life around, and have not had any alcohol since. While this is a strength, it also means there is a past. Prior to recovery, I was arrested several times for drinking inappropriately. I was fortunate to have survived my drinking years without harming myself or anyone else physically, and have managed to make amends to all who I have harmed emotionally. I speak from experience when I say I believe in the power of people to learn from their mistakes and improve their lives. This experience is a source of humility and compassion that I have used every time I took the bench.
5. Why is this race important?
Our Democratic Campaign for the Courthouse is critical to Justice in Texas. The newspapers are full of stories of Republican judges doing things that just aren’t right. The Court of Criminal Appeals was closed at 5 PM preventing an appeal of the death penalty, a family Court judge signed orders presented by the Chair of the Republican Party that strip health benefits from families of City employees behind closed doors after hours, a Criminal Court Judge holds a mother in contempt and sends her to jail for shouting “thank you Jesus” when ruling favored her son, a Juvenile Judge takes a child away from a young mother for no reason other than making the child available for adoption. All of these are Republican judges and it shows they just don’t get it.
My candidacy itself is important to folks who value diversity. Currently there are no open LGBT judges in the District Courthouse and only one in the State of Texas.
6. Why should people vote for you in the primary?
I have a passion for justice. This passion directs my politics, career and community choices and activities. All my life I have stood up for what is right and spoke out against and tried to change what is wrong. From my record, you know where my heart lies. My thirty years experience of activism and accomplishments in the community and the party shows its not just talk with me, I walk the walk.
kirkland ruled on a subdivision case off of kirby,with bar owners in very late december,right towards the end of the year 2012, and like 4 days before he was to be out of a job=one must keep in mind that the harris county democrats voted him out of office over judge palmer=also a democrat in the primary=the nerve of the guy to force the case before his court after the voters had fired him,he was supposed to let the in coming democrat judge handle the case when she took office in january=kirkland didnt=he musled his way threw ,even when 98 % of everybody were already out enjoying the christmas holidays.now kirkland is running against another democrat in the primary==
the democrats need to vote against him,
in high volumes
written by joshua ben bullard
Without knowing the details of the case, anyone can make it sound bad. How long had the case been pending in his court? Did he follow the law or not? It sounds like a case of sour grapes to me.
I’ve known Kirkland for years and whatever you may think of his judicial prowess, he has proven himself to be evenhanded and fair. That he does not cater to either side of the judicial process is admittedly strange compared to those who are either prosecutors in robes or those who favor people charged with crimes (criminal matters) or likewise situated in civil matters but we could use a few more like him in office. He’s fought his personal demons and won, his loss in that primary due to some trickery by a bulk rate city traffic ticket lawyer and a major firm with a history of buying robes.
Steve LOL
I noticed how Mr. Kirkland spoke about “stories of Republican judges doing things that just aren’t right.” This would lead one to believe that all Democratic judges do things just fine and all above board. Well we all know that is not true either, just read.. Mr. Kirkland, if you are truly fair, then Political Party Affiliation should not be a criteria for judging right from wrong.