Contested Races On the Ballot in Harris County November 7, 2000
The quality of our judges is crucial to our community. Unfortunately, most voters know little about the candidates. For this reason we have put together comparisons in three areas:

(1) qualifications (2) application of the law (3) impartiality

This comparison was developed predominantly from two Houston Bar Association polls:

July, 1999 Judicial Evaluation Results and
2000, Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll
plus
the February, 2000 State Bar Preference Poll

Names in the boldface print indicate those who garnered the highest percentage of “well qualified” and “qualified” votes. Ratings and poll numbers do not constitute endorsement. Party affiliations were not part of the HBA polls. Party affiliations are indicated by (D) for Democrat, (R) for Republican (Lib) for Libertarian and (Grn.) for Green Party. (I) specifies Incumbent.

Votes from the judicial candidate qualification poll have been converted into percentages for easier reading.

Appellate Races
Supreme Court Justice Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		State Bar
Preference Poll
Place 1 Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Nathan Hecht (R, I) 55.63 % 22.50% 21.87% 34.80% 20.80% 44.40% 7,500
Mike Jacobellis (Lib.) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1,040
Ben G. Levy (Grn.) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1,296
Place 2
Priscilla Owen (R, I) 1
1999 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		36.90% 25.90% 37.20% 1 37.40% 23.60% 39% 7,731
Joe Alfred Izen, Jr. (Lib.) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 3,007
Place 3
Al Gonzales (R, I) 55.52% 32.21% 12.27% n/a n/a n/a 6,610
Lance Smith (Lib.) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1,554
Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals Dallas Bar
Preference Poll 		Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		State Bar
Preference Poll
Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Sharon Keller (R)
Currently serves as Judge, Criminal Court of Appeals 		53.10% 46.50% 25.05% 28.45% 2,364
Bill Vance (D)
Currently serves as Judge, 10th Court of Appeals in Waco 		46.9% 38.11% 29.06% 32.83% 1,743
Judge, Criminal
Court of Appeals 		Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		State Bar
Preference Poll
Place 1 Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Charles Holcomb (R) 13.53% 30.83% 55.64% n/a n/a n/a 902
Rife Scott Kimler (Lib.) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 462
Dallas Bar
Preference Poll 		Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		State Bar
Preference Poll
Place 2
Barbara Parker Hervey (R) 44.70% 36.72% 32.77% 30.51% 1,530
William R. Barr (D) 55.30% 20.47% 29.82% 49.71% 1,213
Justice, 1st Court of Appeals, District Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		Demonstrates Impartiality
Place 1 Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
M.B. "Murry" Cohen (R, I) 2
1999 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		71% 23.20% 5.80% 2 70.90% 22.50% 6.60% 71.10% 22.30% 6.60%
Place 2
Scott Brister (R) 3
Rated as Judge, 234th Civil District Court, Harris County 		55.60% 24.45% 19.95% 3 45% 27.10% 27.90% 38.90% 25.40% 35.70%
Mary C. Thompson (D) 24.70% 31% 44.30% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Place 3
Adele Hedges (R, I) 4
1999 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		51.30% 30.60% 18.10% 4 50.40% 28.80% 20.80% 51.50% 28.10% 20.40%
Place 4
Terry Jennings (R) 21.13% 24.77% 54.10% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Eric Andell (D, I) 73.84% 19.74% 6.42% 59.70% 27.40% 12.90% 60.80% 28.10% 11.10%
Place 5
Tim Taft (R, I) 5
February, 1999 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		42.50% 30.80% 26.70% 5 41.50% 27.80% 30.70% 42.70% 27.60% 29.70%
Justice, 14th Court of Appeals, District Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		Demonstrates Impartiality
Place 1 Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Charles Wesley Seymore (R) 29.70% 27.51% 42.79% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Place 2
John S. Anderson (R, I) 6
1999 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		38.97% 25.98% 35.05% 6 24.70% 37.10% 38.20% 29.50% 34.10% 36.40%
Place 3
Harvey Hudson (R, I) 7
February, 1994 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		49.64% 26.13% 24.23% 7 41.20% 30.30% 28.50% 41.60% 30.20% 28.20%
Place 4
Wanda Fowler (R, I) 8
February, 1994 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		46.42% 28.37% 25.21% 8 43.50% 36% 20.50% 47.60% 31.70% 20.70%
Place 5
Richard Edelman (R, I) 9
February, 1994 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		47.05% 23.06% 29.89% 9 34.30% 41.30% 24.40% 40.30% 35.20% 24.50%
Place 6
Kem Thompson Frost (R) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Harris County Races
District Judge, 11th Judicial District, Civil Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		Demonstrates Impartiality
Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Mark Davidson (R, I) 10
1999 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		50.70% 35.10% 14.20% 10 52.90% 31.40% 15.70% 48.80% 34.10% 17.10%
District Judge, 61st Judicial District, Civil Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		Demonstrates Impartiality
Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
John Donovan (R, I) 11
1999 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		43.80% 38.80% 17.40% 11 43.80% 36.20% 20% 48.20% 33.80% 18%
District Judge, 80th Judicial District, Civil Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		Demonstrates Impartiality
Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Scott Link (R, I) 12
1999 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		48% 36.60% 15.40% 12 49.70% 35.40% 14.90% 47.90% 35.90% 16.20%
District Judge, 127th Judicial District, Civil Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		Demonstrates Impartiality
Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Sharolyn Wood (R, I) 42.15% 31.41% 26.44% 33.50% 34.20% 32.30% 28.90% 32.80% 38.30%
District Judge, 129th Judicial District, Civil Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		Demonstrates Impartiality
Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Pat Mizell (R, I) 13
1999 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		64.80% 24.50% 10.70% 13 60.10% 27.50% 12.40% 64.90% 23.10% 12%
District Judge, 133rd Judicial District, Civil Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		Demonstrates Impartiality
Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Lamar McCorkle (R, I) 14
1999 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		37.70% 34.90% 27.40% 14 42.50% 34.80% 22.70% 42% 33.50% 24.50%
District Judge, 151st Judicial District, Civil Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		Demonstrates Impartiality
Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Caroline E. Baker (R, I) 15
1999 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		47.10% 34.20% 18.70% 15 42.90% 38% 19.10% 49.30% 31.40% 19.30%
District Judge, 152nd Judicial District, Civil Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		Demonstrates Impartiality
Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Harvey Brown (R, I) 16
1999 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		56.40% 30.20% 13.40% 16 56.10% 31.20% 12.70% 58% 27.10% 14.90%
District Judge, 164th Judicial District, Civil Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		Demonstrates Impartiality
Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Martha Hill Jamison (R, I) 51.60% 31.57% 16.83% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
District Judge, 165th Judicial District, Civil Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		Demonstrates Impartiality
Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Elizabeth Ray (R, I) 17
1999 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		43.30% 41.90% 14.80% 17 42.90% 42.10% 15% 46.50% 39.40% 14.10%
District Judge, 174th Judicial District, Criminal Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		Demonstrates Impartiality
Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
George H. Godwin (R, I) 18
1999 Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll 		36.50% 40.60% 22.90% 18 41.10% 35.70% 23.20% 34.30% 41% 24.70%
District Judge, 176th Judicial District, Criminal Houston Bar
Candidate Qualification Poll 		Judicial Evaluation:
Properly Applies the Law 		Demonstrates Impartiality
Well
Qualified 		Qualified Not
Qualified 		Outstanding Acceptable Poor Outstanding Acceptable Poor
Brian Rains (R, I) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Continued >>
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