REBUTTAL VERSION 3 - HOW A MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL COURT WORKS

As the incumbent Judge of the 258th Judicial District Court, serving Polk, San Jacinto, and Trinity counties, I often see misconceptions about how our multi-county court operates. My challenger, Rob Freyer, has claimed that I'm "not working" or absent from the bench. That's simply not accurate—it's a misunderstanding of the logistics required to run this three-county jurisdiction effectively.

Covering nearly 2,500 square miles means constant travel between courthouses in Livingston, Coldspring, and Groveton. I actively preside over cases across all three counties, handling criminal, civil, family, and juvenile matters while balancing attorney schedules and local needs.

To clear the massive backlogs caused by COVID-19, we've utilized state-allocated relief funds to run dual dockets. This allows two courtrooms to operate simultaneously: I oversee one while a visiting judge (a qualified, retired, or assigned jurist) handles the other. It's a proven, efficient strategy endorsed by the Texas courts to process cases faster and ensure timely justice for our residents. By utilizing this system, the backlog of cases was erased in its entirety in Polk County, which has the largest case load of all 3 counties. Even still, with this heavy scheduling, the Court has over 100% clearance rate in all 3 Counties despite the a failed records system in San Jacinto County. The District Clerks in both Polk and Trinity have done amazing jobs in assisting the Court in clearing the backlogs.

Freyer, primarily experienced as a prosecutor, does not fully grasp these operational realities. What he perceives as inactivity is actually strategic multitasking—me being present in one courtroom while a visiting judge keeps the other moving. This approach maximizes resources and reduces delays, directly benefiting victims, litigants, and the community.

As a side note, Freyer also complains about the Motter trial taking five years to reach trial, but he fails to mention two crucial elements that affected the timing: (1) the original prosecutor left the DA's office, and (2) he never got DNA testing done in a timely manner, forcing repeated delays. A trial cannot be had until the prosecutor and the defendant’s attorney are prepared to go to trial and due process for all parties concerns is had.