Building a Just Future for All
Harm Reduction/Diversions
I see every case in my courtroom as a chance to hear people’s stories. In the courts, we have the opportunity to help people clear up their legal issues, protect victims, and connect people to community resources.
It is also important to me that we provide an Eviction Diversion Court, where we stay the proceedings to allow the application for rental assistance, allowing our county to maintain eviction protections. We must look at creative ways for our citizens to stay in their homes to avoid the default since the collateral consequences to eviction are so high. I have sat as a visiting judge in our local JP’s hearing eviction and collection cases so I understand that we must continue to help those in need, especially in our vulnerable communities. I want to continue to collaborate with other social service agencies to provide creative solutions in the eviction process.
I want to expand our Diversion Courts for certain misdemeanors as well. When we successfully divert a case, no expunction is necessary and the case can be resolved more efficiently, easing the burden of cases being transferred to our county court dockets.
JP5 can also play a role in helping to provide bail hearings as it encompasses 3 courtrooms. I feel strongly about our citizens having the right to counsel at their first appearance and want to play a role in making this available to our citizens who find themselves charged with a crime.
Gun violence prevention is also a project of mine. I feel strongly about educating our community regarding their rights as gun owners under permitless carry. As a condition of bond, I routinely order a gun education class for misdemeanor gun cases, especially for our young people.
Mental Health and Other Underlying Issues
When it comes to justice, we have to treat the underlying issues bringing young people into the criminal justice system in the first place — whether that’s substance abuse, untreated mental health issues, poverty, or other issues.
Whether I am acting as an attorney or an associate judge of the Austin Municipal Court, I believe we must begin to treat the underlying issues bringing folks within the criminal justice system in the first place. Substance abuse disorders, mental health issues and poverty are some of the main ones. As a justice of the Peace, I will seek to rehabilitate offenders who suffer from drug addiction and mental health issues, seeking diversions wherever possible and appropriate. If we connect offenders with the right resources, we can greatly reduce the revolving door that is inherent in our current criminal justice system. ​
Mental illness is one of the main underlying issues affecting the accused in our courts. As an attorney, I specialized in representing the mentally ill for more than 20 years.
Representation Matters
At almost every docket where I preside as a Magistrate, it has been an undeniable fact that African Americans and Latinos are overrepresented, mostly stemming from pervasive, discriminatory arrests at traffic stops. And despite this disproportionate number of African Americans and other people of color charged with crimes, there are currently zero African American county judges who handle criminal misdemeanors, and only one serving as a Justice of the Peace.
I believe that we can build greater trust and fairness in our courts by building a judicial bench that better reflects the folks who come before the court.
Modernization
We must continue modernizing our JP Courts. We can increase participation in court proceedings by implementing technology that provides reminders on filing requirements and a self-help website in the evictions and collections process (how to prepare for hearing, what to expect, etc.) The paperwork can be overwhelming for folks so we must look at ways to make it more electronic, where appropriate, and to move to a more ‘paperless’ court.
We also must continue providing the ability to attend court virtually. Making it easier to attend court will reduce the number of default judgments in eviction and civil cases.
