Judicial Q&A: Marc Isenberg

(Note: I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. There are a lot of judicial races on the ballot in Harris County this election, and so 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. I will also be conducting some in-person interviews of candidates who will be involved in contested primaries for non-judicial offices. Please see the Election 2010 page listed at the top of the blog for a full list of Q&As and interviews.)

1. Who are you, and what are you running for?

My name is Marc Isenberg. I was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital here in Houston, lived in Galena Park and moved to Galveston when I was 12. I graduated from Ball High School in 1967. My family owned a jewelry store in Galveston and I made deliveries to customers through out my high school years. I attended the University of Texas at Austin, graduating in 1971 with a degree in Psychology and minor in Sociology. While a college student, I participated in a statewide nutrition survey with the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. I worked with a team of medical students and physicians and got to see first hand the needs of the population and the effects of lack of adequate medical services throughout the State of Texas.

While I was in law school, I worked at the Listening Ear in Galveston as a counselor on a telephone 24 hours counseling hot line. That experience made me more aware of the tremendous problems and needs faced by some members of our society. I graduated from the University of Houston Law School and worked for 5 years at the Houston Legal/Gulf Coast Legal Foundation representing indigent clients in consumer matters. Since that time I practiced in a real estate firm, have handled personal injury defense, consumer, civil and juvenile and abuse and neglect cases. I have practiced in Harris County since 1974 and have been in practice with my wife Miriam Riskind since 1993. I am running for the 313th District Court which is a juvenile court.

2. What kind of cases does the court hear?

It handles juvenile delinquency cases for children, beginning at age 10 up to their 17th birthday. These cases range in seriousness from simple shoplifting to gang activity and capital murder. It also handles abuse and neglect cases involving children in which CPS intervenes. In those case, the fundamental rights of parents must be addressed in cases where the parents are indigent.

3. Why are you running for this particular bench?

I am running for this particular bench because the 313th will be an open bench due to the retirement of the current judge. There are no Democrats sitting as a juvenile judge in Harris County, and there have been none since 1994. It is time this changed and the time is now. I am also running for this particular bench because it is time that the tone of this court changes. I have been a vigorous supporter of assuring quality representation for everyone, especially indigent respondents entering the legal system, since I interned and worked for the Houston Legal Foundation.

4. Why is the race important?

Juvenile courts contain a cross-section of all problems impacting our society today: lack of supervision for children, lack of resources for parents, inadequate resources for education, immigration issues, violence, drugs, alcohol and access to weapons. All of these issues put children at risk and brring them into the juvenile system. Decisions made in the juvenile system affect children for the rest of their lives.

Furthermore, the demographics of the children coming into the system are skewed toward Black and Latino children. The judge has the power to appoint attorneys for all of these children. Under the current system, many capable attorneys have been removed fro the pool of lawyers appointed to represent indigent juveniles because they are not friends of the Judges.

The children of Harris County are our most important asset and they deserve quality representation. In many instances since the families do not speak English, it is essential that the attorney speak the appropriate language of the family in order to communicate with them and witnesses in order to effectively represent the juvenile. The pool of qualified attorneys should be expanded to provide more of such representation for juveniles. Although there is discussion about a Public Defender system which I favor, it is up to the Judge to set the tenor of the court and assure adequate representation for juveniles coming into the system. We must find a way to keep the children from returning on subsequent matters and we must protect our youngest from abuse and neglect.

We must re-evaluate what is happening to juveniles and re-assess our community resources to develop alternative measure to help juveniles.

5. Why should people vote for you in the primary?

I have been a lawyer for 35 years. I have worked for legal aid, representing indigent clients in consumer matters, and have represented juveniles since 1993. I also have a wide range of experience including personal injury, probate, bankruptcy and consumer law. I have mediation training. I am double board certified including juvenile law. I am the only candidate who is board certified in juvenile law. I am the only candidate in this race who has tried a felony jury trial. I am the only candidate in this race who has handled appellate cases both in the delinquency and CPS areas, including oral argument. I am the only candidate in this race who has been asked by the State Bar if Texas to speak at statewide CLE conferences in both juvenile delinquency and CPS matters. I volunteer to speak to juveniles at their schools and I am on the Houston Bar Association Juvenile Consequences Committee.

I have spent years gaining legal expertise, working to represent juveniles, advise them of their rights, believe in them, try their cases, counsel and advise them. I care. I believe I can make a difference in the lives of the juveniles who come into the 313th District Court and I am asking the voters of Harris county to give me the opportunity.

Related Posts:

• Judicial Q&A revisited: Darrell Jordan
• Judicial Q&A revisited: Shawn Thierry
• Judicial Q&A revisited: Chip Wells