Issue: No. 37      
March 5, 2014
  The Enos Law Firm
  17207 Feather Craft Lane, Webster, Texas 77598
  (281) 333-3030    Fax: (281) 488-7775
  E-mail: greg.enoslaw@gmail.com              
  Please forward this e-mail newsletter to everyone who cares about our family courts!  
  
Click here for an archive of past issues of The Mongoose.  
Harris County Primary Results

70% of Republicans Smartly Refuse to Vote for Pratt in 311th GOP Race

Pratt33,483
29.81%
Franklin26,012
23.16%
Magdaleno24,107
21.47%
Detamore19,773
17.61%
Placzek8,933
7.95%

On the Sunday before the primary, the Houston Chronicle ran an editorial entitled,"Beware of Slate Cards," which stated in part:

As an example of how skewed they are, consider that several of the better-known slates endorse Denise Pratt, the incumbent judge for the 311th District Court who's been mired in scandal for months. Never mind that she's been reprimanded for "unreasonable" delays, that she's been accused of backdating court documents and that's she's been rated "not qualified" by the Houston Bar Association. Never mind all that: She paid; she plays.


No More Amicus Appointments for Woodfill?

Jared Woodfill may not be so popular on the 7th floor as he lost his race to be reelected Chair of the Harris County Republican Party in a lop-sided loss to Paul Simpson 53% to 37%.  Despite our big differences in politics and attitudes toward the proper role of amicus attorneys, I have come to like Jared and I am sorry personally for the dude losing.

District Clerk Daniel Lets Loose a Beat Down

Chris Daniel won his primary race for District Clerk big time  69%  to 31% over Court Koenig.

Runoff Between Schmude and M.L. Walker

Results in the Republican primary for the 247th Family District Court to replace Bonnie Hellums were:

Schmude
40,393
36.45%
Walker
37,378
33.73%
Flowers
33,045
29.82%
I have given M.L. Walker a hard time lately but let me say two things about this race: (1) Walker is a darn good Associate Judge and we all know that, and (2) John Schmude needs to do more to renounce Dr. Hotze for the racist  and ugly e-mail Hotze sent out about Walker and Melanie flowers.  Click here to read a blog by a Republican who was disgusted by the e-mail.  Hotze needs to stop worrying so much about sodomites and reconsider what it means to be live a life that is truly Christ-like.


Charley Prine Coasts to Victory

Charley Prine beat Angelina Gooden 78% to 22% in the race for the GOP nomination to replace Judge Jim York in the 246th District Court.



Peake Defeats Maldonado in Democratic Primary

In the Democratic race to see who gets to take on Judge Prine, Sandra Peake defeated Julia Maldonado 51.07% to 48.93%.

Jim Evans Beats Bruce Steffler for Chance to Take on Judge Lombardino

Democrats chose Jim Evans 67% to 33% over Bruce Steffler.  Evans will now square off against Judge James Lombardino in November.

Stalder Defeats Pottinger in Democratic 280th Race

Barbara Stalder beat Allecia Pottinger 61% to 39% in the Democratic primary to run for the 280th District Court (the "Protective Order Factory").

Unopposed Judges Win!

Judges Farr, Moore, Millard, and Warne won their primaries without opposition and we already know they will win in November because no Democrats filed against them.  Judge Dean and Lombardino were not opposed in the GOP primary but face Democrats in November.  These folks won the Democratic nominations for family district courts without opposition: Kathy Vossler for 309th, Sherri Cothrun for 311th, and Chip Wells for the 247th.

 
I do not expect to win every case.  I just want an efficient system in which my client gets a fair hearing before a judge who works hard, knows the law, and does not play favorites.  I also expect judges to appoint qualified amicus attorneys who zealously look after children (and actually visit the kids in their homes).   Is that asking too much?  Stay tuned.

Greg Enos
The Enos Law Firm                  
 
The Basics of Runoff Elections
 
Here is what you need to know about runoff elections:
 
  • If no candidate gets over 50% of the votes in the primary, then the two candidates with the most votes compete in a run off election to be their party's nominee.
  • Political scientists will tell you that very often the candidate who came in second in the first round of voting wins the runoff election.  This is particularly true when the two top vote getters are close to each other and the other losing candidates support the second place finisher (i.e. - the race for the 311th!). 
  • The runoff election will be held on Tuesday, May 27.  Early voting will be from May 19 through May 23.
  • Anyone can vote in the runoff election, even those who did not vote in the first primary.  However, if you voted in the Democratic primary, you cannot vote in the Republican runoff and vice versa.
  • Even fewer people vote in runoff elections - usually a third to a half of the number who voted in the primary.
  • Municipal elections will be held on May 10.
  • This year, Republicans will have state-wide runoff elections for Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Agriculture Commissioner and Railroad Commmission.  There will also be runoff elections in the Houston area in some State Senator and State Representative races. 


 
 
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"Together, attorneys can improve our family courts!"

 

 



    
 Galveston County Primary Results 
  
The Republican party rules Galveston County now and here are the results of the contested judicial primaries there:

306th Family District Court
Darring 
 5,422
33.80 %
Schmitz 
 6,341
 39.53%
Burnett 
 4,278
26.67 %

212th District Court
Grady
6,803
41.63%
Grifffin
5,748
35.17%
Young
2,661
16.28%
Gross
1,130
6.91

Court No. 3
Quintanilla
5,155
31.6%
Ewing
4,477
27.4%
Foley
3,557
21.8%
Fulk
3,128
19.2%

I feel really bad for Judge Foley who has done a great job since she was appointed to replace He Who Shall Not Be Named.  We all owe Foley a "thanks" for taking on this assignment.

Judge Barbara Roberts defeated her challenger, Jonathan Kieschnick, 57% to 43%, in the most polite, civil race I have ever seen.

District Attorney Jack Roady cruised to an easy victory 62% to 38% over Phillip Morris.

County Judge Mark Henry barely held off his challenger.  Henry got 8,881 votes to Michelle Hatmaker's 8,313 votes. 

In Justice of the Peace races, Jim Schweitzer won his Republican primary and Mike Nelson won his Democratic primary.  Penny Pope defeated Darrell Apffel.  Toni Randall and Alison Cox are headed to a runoff.







  




Attorney Greg Enos has been through his own divorce and  child custody battle (he won) and understands  what his clients are going through.  Enos  graduated from the University of Texas Law  School and was a very successful personal injury  attorney in Texas City before he decided his true  calling was to help families in divorce and child  custody cases. Greg Enos is active in politics and in Clear Lake area charities.  He has served as President of the Bay Area Bar Association and President of the Board of  Interfaith Caring Ministries. 


Attorney Greg Enos