Judge Denise Pratt resigned Friday and suspended her reelection campaign.  Click here to read the Houston Chronicle story, which includes Pratt's statement.  Here is what we know or can assume about what happens next:

• It is too late for Judge Pratt's name to be removed from the May Primary Runoff election ballot.  Alicia Franklin still needs to win her primary election. If Pratt were to somehow win the primary runoff even after her resignation, she could file a written withdrawal of her candidacy and the Harris County Republican Executive Committee would appoint a candidate to run as the GOP nominee.  

• Associate Judge Newey serves at the pleasure of the Judge of the 311th and will be re-sworn in today by Judge Farr, the Presiding Family District Judge.

• Retired Judge Doug Warne will reportedly fill in as a visiting judge in the 311th until a new judge in appointed by the Governor.

• Governor Perry will appoint a judge for the 311th, who will serve until the ballots are canvassed following the November 2014 General Election.  Alicia Franklin is the obvious choice for that appointment and various GOP power players are working on that now.  It could take a few weeks before a new judge is appointed.

• Based on calls made by the District Attorney's office to witnesses on the day Pratt resigned, many assume that the D.A. gave Pratt a choice: resign or get indicted.  I cannot verify or refute this rumor and Pratt of course maintains her innocence to the three criminal complaints I filed against her.

• Pratt could still face criminal charges.  In the real world, most criminals are not given the choice of avoiding indictment if they quit their jobs.  The choice to resign and not face criminal charges is an option that, in Harris County, seems only open to white Republican elected officials.  Just last week, a  former investigator for the Harris County Public Defender's Office was convicted of tampering with a government record (he wrote a fake ticket) and he got 90 days in jail, five years probation for the tampering charge, and was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.  Click here to read a news story about this man who appears to be not nearly as lucky as Pratt. 

• Please remember that a high qualified Democrat, Sherri Cothrun, is running for the 311th and we cannot all just assume that Ms. Franklin will be the judge of the 311th for the next four and a half years.

• No one should feel sorry for the ass-sucking toadies who will really miss Pratt and the big fees she awarded them.   We should especially feel no pity for those suckers who gathered for a $2,500 per person fundraising dinner for Pratt just three days before she resigned.  George Clevenger was hitting people up for big contributions for Pratt up to the day before she resigned.  I wonder how much influence George will have in the 311th now?

Proper Courtroom Behavior 

 

I surveyed many of our family court judges to get their suggestions for basic courtroom decorum (and yes, most judges are willing to talk to me).  Every day in court, I see some of these simple rules being violated by attorneys who should clearly know better.  Our judges really want all lawyers to: 

Judge Jan Yarbrough in Galveston also wanted to remind lawyers to "school" their clients on what to expect in court.  Please tell your clients how to behave and dress in court: no shorts, no gum and no cell phones on in court.

GOP political consultant Alan Blakemore held a hastily convened press conference in the basement auditorium of Bruce Baughman's house to explain why his client, Denise Pratt, resigned and why his other client, District Attorney, Devon Anderson, never got around to indicting Judge Pratt.