Rebuttal Version2: Fact-Checking the 258th District Court Performance

The claim that the 258th Judicial District is "backed up" or failing to manage its docket does not align with the objective performance metrics reported by the state.

1. Proven Case Clearance Rates

My opponent suggests cases sit for "months or even years without disposition." However, OCA data for Trinity County shows the court has been highly effective at clearing its backlog:

Criminal Case Efficiency: In FY 2024, Trinity County maintained a criminal clearance rate of 103.4%. This means the court disposed of more cases than were filed, actively reducing the pending workload.

Family Law Excellence: The court achieved a 104.5% clearance rate in family law cases in 2022 and continued strong performance into 2024.

Benchmark Performance: The Texas state benchmark for a "healthy" court is a 90% clearance rate. The 258th District has consistently exceeded this in criminal matters over the last three fiscal years.

2. Jail Population and Infrastructure

The endorsement implies the jail is overcrowded because the court is not "holding court regularly." Official records suggest a different primary cause:

Capacity Issues: As of early 2026, the Trinity County jail was flagged for non-compliance by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards—not because of court delays, but due to infrastructure failure (sewer backups) and housing inmates beyond the facility's certified capacity of only 7 inmates.

Outsourcing Trends: Trinity County, like 41% of Texas counties, has had to rely on outsourcing inmates due to these facility limits, a trend driven by statewide population surges and aging infrastructure rather than local judicial pace.

3. Judicial Consistency

The assertion that "dockets are not regularly set" is contradicted by the district's public calendar and OCA's reporting, which shows steady monthly activity and a "Backlog Index" that remains within acceptable state parameters for rural districts.

4. Case Disposal rates

In the past 7 years, the District Attorney has dismissed or pled out 98% of all Felony Criminal cases filed in the 258th Court. No Jury Trial has been held. A Judge cannot force the State District Attorney nor Defense Attorney into a trial. All Parties must announce ready and unable to negotiate a settlement between the State and Defendant.