(Note: I ran a series of judicial Q&As for Democratic candidates in contested primaries earlier this year. I am now doing the same for the candidates who were unopposed in March, which includes most of the sitting incumbent judges. As always, this is to help you the voter know a little bit more about the candidates on your ballot. I will be publishing these in the order I receive them. You can see the Q&As and interviews I did for the primaries on my 2016 Election page.)
Judge Robert Schaffer
1. Who are you and in which court do you preside?
Robert Schaffer, Judge of the 152nd District Court, Harris County, Texas
2. What kind of cases does this court hear?
There are 60 district courts in Harris County. They are divided into 4 divisions:
(1) Civil Trial Division with 24 courts
(2) Criminal Trial Division with 23 courts
(3) Family Trial Division with 10 courts
(4) Juvenile Trial Division with 3 courts.
The 152nd District Court is a court of general jurisdiction that is in the Civil Trial Division.
If a lawsuit can be filed for damages or a judicial declaration of your rights, the case would be filed in the civil district courts. This would include cases involving contracts, leases, product liability, medical or other professional negligence, motor vehicle collisions, slip and falls or other injuries that occur on someone’s property, job terminations because of some form of illegal discrimination, foreclosures on homes or other property or violating some statute that causes damages or other economic loss.
3. What have been your main accomplishments during your time on this bench?
During my time on the bench, I have served the citizens of Harris County in many capacities. In October of 2013, I was elected by the Harris County District Court judges to complete my predecessor’s term as Local Administrative Judge for all of the Harris County District Courts. I was subsequently elected to a full two year term (2014-2015) and re-elected to a second two year term (2016-2017). Prior to my election as Local Administrative Judge, I served as the Administrative Judge for the Civil Trial division from 2012 to 2013. In 2010 I served as a Justice on the 14th Court of Appeals by special assignment. The State Multidistrict Litigation Panel selected me to serve as the pretrial judge for the Toyota Unintended Acceleration Multidistrict Litigation in 2010 and for the GM Ignition Switch Multidistrict Litigation for the state of Texas in 2015. I also serve as a member of the Harris County Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee. In 2014 I was selected as the Trial Judge of the Year by the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists and Distinguished Alum for the South Texas College of Law Alumni Association.
4. What do you hope to accomplish in your courtroom going forward?
Continue overseeing the cases that are filed in the 152nd District Court to see that they are moved through the system efficiently so that the litigants are assured of having reasonable access to the courts.
5. Why is this race important?
It is important that the person elected to preside over this court is qualified based on background, experience and temperament.
6. Why should people vote for you in November?
People should vote for me because I am the most qualified person to serve on this bench. I have been a lawyer for 32 years and during that time I have tried cases as a lawyer and presided over cases as a judge. The lawyers who practice in this court have overwhelming stated in bar polls that I do an excellent job and am the most qualified to serve.