Endorsing judges

Voters should back experienced jurists who run efficient courts, know flaws in system.

Criminal district courts handle some of the worst crimes in Harris County. They also deal with mental health issues, drug addiction and a litany of other challenges that our courts were never designed to solve. Voters should look for experienced judges who can run an efficient courtroom and recognize the failings of our current criminal justice system. Full endorsements are available online at HoustonChronicle.com/opinion/recommendations.

District Judge, 180th Judicial District: Catherine Evans Catherine Evans - Republican Party:

DaSean Jones - Democratic Party: Catherine Evans, a 12-year veteran of the Harris County District Attorney's Office, has presided over the state’s 180th Criminal District Court since she was appointed in 2013.She has a forwardthinking approach to rehabilitative justice.

Her opponent, DaSean Jones, is an Army reservist and is campaigning on social justice issues, specially focusing on disproportionate impact of the criminal justice system on persons of color.

District Judge, 182nd Judicial District: Danilo “Danny” Lacayo Jesse McClure - Republican Party: ½ Danilo “Danny” Lacayo - Democratic

Party: ½

This is a coin-toss race to replace Judge Jeannine Barr, but we encourage voters to support Danilo “Danny” Lacayo because of his balanced experience as a prosecutor and public defender.

Both Lacayo and Jesse McClure seem to have what it takes to be fine judges. Both started their careers practicing civil law, found it unfulfilling and then went on to serve lengthy stints as prosecutors. Lacayo currently serves as an assistant public defender with the trial division of the Harris County Public Defender’s Office.

District Judge, 183rd Judicial District: Vanessa Velasquez Vanessa Velasquez - Republican Party: ½ Chuck Silverman - Democratic Party:

Republican Vanessa Velasquez has spent ten years presiding over one of the county’s four drug courts.Her Democratic opponent Chuck Silverman lacks experience in criminal law.

District Judge, 183rd Judicial District: Reneé Magee Reneé Magee - Republican Party: ½ Abigail Anastasio - Democratic Party:

Republican Renee Magee was elected to the 337th criminal district court in 2012, but lost in the 2016 Democratic sweep of Harris County. She served as a prosecutor for more than two decadesHowever, during her endorsement meeting with the editorial board, she seemed a bit out of touch with the people who find themselves before our judges. When we raised the question of cash bonds, Magee dismissed the idea that people would find them unaffordable.

We wish defense attorney Abigail Anastasio’s graceful enthusiasm was seasoned with more extensive courtroom experience.

District Judge, 18th Judicial District: Jason Luong Stacey W. Bond - Republican Party:

Jason Luong - Democratic Party: We endorse former prosecutor Jason Luong to replace the retiring Judge Susan Brown.

Former judge Stacey W. Bond was responsible for a rape victim being put in jail to compel testimony crucial for the conviction of a serial rapist. Although one egregious mistake shouldn’t disqualify Bond, this blot on this otherwise stellar judge’s record — and a highly qualified opponent — is sufficient cause for us to withhold our endorsement for this election cycle.

District Judge, 208th Judicial District: Denise Collins

Denise Collins - Republican Party: Greg Glass - Democratic Party: Voters should send 25-year incumbent Judge Denise Collins back for another term. Throughout the meeting we struggled to find any area where challenger Greg Glass substantially disagreed with the incumbent. Our takeaway: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

District Judge, 209th Judicial District: Brian Warren Mike McSpadden - Republican Party: Brian Warren - Democratic Party:

Incumbent Judge Mike McSpadden made headlines over the past year for pugnacious and biased comments on his views about black men’s attitudes toward the criminal justice system. It is time for McSpadden to retire.

The Democratic candidate in this race, Brian Warren, started his career as an assistant district attorney with the Harris County District Attorney’s office and spent five years serving the citizens of his county as a prosecutor.

District Judge, 228th District Court: Marc Carter Marc Carter - Republican Party:

Frank Aguilar - Democratic Party: If you’re tempted to vote straight ticket for the Democratic Party make sure to scroll down the ballot for this race. Incumbent Republican Marc Carter is key proponent of diversionary courts in Harris County and he deserves your vote. But if you can’t bring yourself to vote for a Republican, at least don’t cast your ballot for his Democratic opponent, Frank Aguilar. Aguilar has no campaign website that we could find and doesn’t seem to be actively running for this bench.

District Judge, 230th District Court: Brad Hart

Brad Hart - Republican Party: ½

Chris Morton - Democratic Party: ½ Because there’s no good reason to boot incumbent Republican Brad Hart, voters should keep the experienced judge on the bench. Challenger Chris Morton has a diverse work experience as a defense attorney and as an assistant district attorney in Harris County.

District Judge, 232nd District Court: Kristin M. Guiney Kristin M. Guiney - Republican Party:

Josh Hill - Democratic Party: ½ Sometimes candidate interviews make us wish that voters simply selected their judicial candidates in bulk and the top vote-getters each received a seat. If that’s how our system worked, we have little doubt that Republican candidate Kristin M. Guiney and Democratic challenger Josh Hill would end up as colleagues.

The two are already old friends from their days as prosecutors in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.Guiney had served a four-year term as judge in the 179th District Court but was defeated for re-election in the 2016 Democratic sweep.

During their meeting with the editorial board, the two quickly admitted that they don’t have any real disagreements on policy and instead spent the candidate interview discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the criminal justice system.

District Judge, 248th District Court: Katherine Cabaniss Katherine Cabaniss - Republican Party:

Hilary Unger - Democratic Party: ½ However, after a full term on the bench, Katherine Cabaniss told us that she believes strongly in specialized court rehabilitation rather than incarceration in circumstances where appropriate. She puts her belief into action by spending significant time managing Harris County’s STAR Program, known colloquially as the drug court.

Cabaniss’ opponent, Hilary Unger, would make a fine judge, too. Her disposition is more of a public defender than prosecutor, though she has served as both.

District Judge, 262nd District Court: Tammy J. Thomas Tammy J. Thomas - Republican Party: ½ Lori Chambers Gray - Democratic Party:

Longtime prosecutor Tammy J Thomas has an earnest and calm demeanor that leads us to believe she will be a fair-minded and balanced judge if she is elected to this open position on the criminal district court.

Democratic candidate Lori Chambers Gray, a 30-year practicing attorney, cannot top Thomas’ comprehensive experience in criminal law.

District Judge, 263nd District Court: Amy Martin

Charles Johnson - Republican Party: Amy Martin - Democratic Party: ½ This is one of those races where straight-ticket Republicans will need to cross over and vote for the Democratic candidate, Amy Martin. She began her career as a briefing attorney at the Court of Criminal Appeals and has been a solo practitioner for 15 years, mostly as defense attorney.

Her Republican opponent Charles Johnson has been publicly reprimanded by the Texas State Bar and forced to refund client money for not delivering on his promises. He also has been sued repeatedly for not paying his bills.