The most embattled Family Court judge in Harris County is still on the ballot, in case you were wondering.
Judge Denise Pratt
Embattled state District Court Judge Denise Pratt, accused of falsifying court records to cover up tardy rulings, intends to remain on the ballot to face the voters, her lawyer says.
In late October, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint against Pratt, alleging she falsified court records in an effort to cover up tardy rulings. A Webster family lawyer filed a similar complaint with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.
County Republicans have said they are awaiting the outcome of a grand jury investigation before taking any action against Pratt, such as asking her to step aside.
But it may be a moot point. Today is the filing deadline for candidates, and candidates have only until Tuesday to withdraw from the ballot.
Pratt denies any wrongdoing and has no plans to withdraw from the ballot, her lawyer Terry Yates said Friday.
“She did nothing improper or illegal,” he said.
Pratt’s clerk resigned after allegations surfaced that the judge altered and backdated court records to make it appear that she issued rulings and filed documents sooner than she actually did.
Yates confirmed that the criminal complaint against Pratt is under review by a grand jury and said his client is “cooperating fully.”
If the grand jury does not come to a conclusion in time for the advisory board to act, Woodfill said voters will have their say. As of Friday, Pratt had garnered one Republican primary opponent, Donna Detamore.
That story was from Monday, so it’s up to the voters now. Thanks to a couple of late filings, they now have even more choices.
Embattled state District Court Judge Denise Pratt had garnered four challengers in next year’s GOP primary election by the filing deadline on Monday.
A complaint against the Republican freshman judge that led to the resignation of her lead clerk and an investigation by the Harris County District Attorney’s office is being reviewed by a grand jury. The complaint was filed with the DA’s office and the state Commission on Judicial Conduct by Webster family attorney Greg Enos.
As of Friday, only lawyer Donna Detamore had filed to run against Pratt. By 6 p.m. on Monday, though, lawyers Alicia Franklin, Anthony Magdaleno and Philip Placek had also joined the 311th District Court race.
Republican politico and lawyer Gary Polland, whose endorsements are considered key to GOP primary wins, said last week he would endorse Franklin if she filed. He endorsed Pratt during her first run in 2010, but said he would not do so again because he considers her a “political liability.”
Pratt, however, says she will not withdraw from the ballot and flatly denies the allegations being made against her.
“I’m sure you have heard the rumors that are being spread by the Democrats and the liberal media,” Pratt wrote in an e-mail sent Monday to GOP precinct chairs. “I wanted to take this time to let you know that the allegations brought against me by the Democratic faction are false. I am a conservative Judge and because of my principles I am being attacked. I have already filed to run for re-election as judge of the 311th Family District Court, and will not let the underhanded political tactics by the Democrats keep me from doing my job.”
And I’m sure the Commies are out to get you, too, Judge Pratt. At least until the District Attorney decides whether or not to charge you with official misconduct. For the record, Sherri Cothrun is the Democrat running for the 311th Family District Court in November. Cothrun was a candidate for the 246th Family District Court in 2010, and she is law partner to Rita Lucido, the Democratic candidate for SD17. I’d advise Judge Pratt to be more concerned about facing a quality opponent like Sherri Cothrun than anything the media might report about her.
If Judge Pratt wins the nomination and then subsequently withdraws for whatever the reason, she could not be replaced and the Democrat would be unopposed; this is the one thing for which we can be thankful to Tom DeLay, since he firmly established that fact in 2006. We’ll see what the grand jury has to say, as I presume their verdict will have a large effect on that.
See here, here, and here for the background. For what it’s worth, I recently asked a friend of mine who practices family law what he thought about Judge Pratt. My friend confirmed all of the things we have heard so far about her courtroom demeanor and management. It’s probably fair to say she’s not well liked by the lawyers that appear before her.
Speaking of the lawyers, the story adds this little tidbit:
The political situation would appear to put local Republican Party leaders, including Woodfill, in an awkward position.
Since last year, Pratt has appointed Woodfill to cases for which he has made nearly $10,000. He is not the only lawyer and Republican Party leader Pratt has appointed to cases in her court since taking the bench in 2011.
According to information obtained under the Texas Public Information Act, former party chairman Gary Polland, whose endorsements are considered key to judicial GOP primary wins, has made more than $79,000 in legal fees from appointments by Pratt. Lawyer George Clevenger, chairman of the party’s finance committee, has made more than $114,000.
Judges giving appointments to lawyers with whom they have political or other ties long has been the subject of controversy.
You could say that. It’s why Gary Polland is such a fierce opponent of the Harris County Public Defender’s office as well – he makes a ton of money from appointments, so having a public defender cuts into his bottom line. Just something to keep in mind.
I don’t think your conclusion necessarily tracks. The Harris County Public Defender’s Office defends people in criminal cases. Denise Pratt is a family district court judge. Family court judges must sometimes appoint attorneys to act in particular cases as guardians or attorneys for minor children. Those sorts of appointments would not be handled by the Public Defender’s office in any event.
It may be that Polland takes appointments in criminal cases; I don’t know. But that’s a different issue.