Watkins tops Democratic field for 4th Court
It's surprising there is a Democratic primary for Place 2 on the Texas 4th Court of Appeals. Surprising because Justice Beth Watkins has done an excellent job since taking the bench in 2019.
Watkins is well-regarded in the San Antonio legal community and has an impressive background that is an excellent fit for this appellate court. For the year ending in August of 2023, she easily produced the most opinions among justices at the 4th Court of Appeals.
The San Antonio-based 4th Court of Appeals handles civil and criminal cases from across 32 counties.
Watkins faces Judge Velia Meza, of the 226th District Court. Meza, a longtime defense attorney, was elected to the bench in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. Meza has argued that her background in criminal law would make a difference on this court.
Meza has performed well as a district court judge, and we are confident this would continue at the appellate level. That said, her background and passion
for criminal law may make her better suited as a future candidate for Bexar County district attorney.
Beyond this, there is no compelling reason for Bexar County Democratic voters to make a change in this race. We recommend Watkins in this primary.
She is a San Antonio native and a graduate of St. Mary's University School of Law. She is board-certified in civil appellate law, and, remember, this is an appellate court. She has authored decisions in some 600 cases, and she has said fewer than 1% of her decisions have been overturned.
In short, she works hard, gets the law right and is an expert in civil appellate law. Why would voters ditch that?
Before taking the bench, Watkins handled more than 200 appeals while in private practice. She also is an adjunct professor at St. Mary's School of Law, where she teaches policy liability and constitutional law. Voters should honor Watkins' expertise and work ethic.