Tag: judges

Houston Matters

Full Show: Federal Workers Rally, And Term Limits For Congress And Senate (Jan. 15, 2019)

Posted on · On Tuesday's Houston Matters: Federal workers affected by the shutdown are rallying in Houston. We meet Harris County's 17 recently elected black female judges. Psychiatrists are lobbying Congress to reclassify schizophrenia as a brain disease. We learn about some renewed efforts to establish term limits for the U.S. House and Senate. And an author shares exercises for improving your problem-solving skills.

Houston Matters

Full Show: Madeleine Albright On Bipartisanship, And Remembering Filmmaker James Blue (Nov. 8, 2018)

Posted on · On Thursday's Houston Matters: After losing his re-election bid, a judge releases many of the juvenile defendants who had cases before him. Then, former Sec. of State Madeleine Albright discusses the need for bipartisanship in foreign policy. Plus, a new documentary tells the story of Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker James Blue, who spent much of his career in Houston. And a new performance explores the impact of Houston’s drag scene on the LGBT rights movement.

Houston Matters

How Can You Know Who to Vote for in the Numerous Judicial Races?

Posted on · This election year, 40 individuals in the Houston area — and many more statewide — are running for various judicial seats, from the State Supreme Court to Justice of the Peace. That means voters might find themselves standing in a voting booth with just as many questions about who to pick for these seats — especially if they’re in a profession that […]

Houston Matters

Lawsuit Alleges the Way Texas Elects Judges to its Highest Courts is Unfair to Minorities

Posted on · Last month (July 2016), a civil rights organization sued the State of Texas, arguing the way the state elects judges for the Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals violates the Voting Rights Act. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court saying the […]

Houston Matters

Should Texas Judges Be Attached to a Political Party?

Posted on · Across the country, you’ll find different systems in place for naming and retaining judges. In some states, judges are named by the executive branch and approved or rejected by the legislature. In others, judges are named and then face “retention elections” at regular intervals when voters can choose to retain or dismiss the judge. Here […]