Ideally, judicial races would be non-partisan since our judges must follow the law while remaining independent, fair and impartial. However, there are no Democratic judges out of the 118 judges currently serving the citizens of Harris County from the trial courts through the Texas Supreme Court!
While all judges have a duty to be impartial and fair, it is very important that all citizens of Harris County including members of both major parties and independents have some representation in the seating of our judges. Balance is good for a healthy democracy and for the public's confidence in our court system. Larry Weiman's professional and personal background has uniquely qualified him to understand varied and diverse points of view and to be objective, fair and decisive in applying the law.
Larry Weiman offers a balanced, objective and fair view of legal issues, having represented both Plaintiffs and Defendants in trial courts and appellate courts all over Texas. He is also a trained Mediator with certification. Larry Weiman has successfully represented individuals and small and large businesses during his 17 years of practice primarily in the areas of Business Litigation, Personal Injury and General Civil Litigation.
As part of his campaign, Larry Weiman is advocating reform of judicial campaign financing laws and practices to prevent judges from soliciting or accepting cash contributions from attorneys/litigants with active cases pending in their courts.
Current judicial campaign finance laws do not make this practice illegal. However, judges should avoid the appearance of impropriety and/or injustice or the possible perception that Justice is for Sale. Nobody should perceive an advantage or disadvantage based upon whether or not they give money to a presiding judge while they have a case before that judge. Larry Weiman is seeking to change that by example, in the 80th District Court. As a candidate for judge he has already taken this position by requesting that attorneys or parties who have cases presently pending before the 80th District Court (which is the bench he is seeking) not make cash contributions to his campaign while they are an attorney or party of record in this court.
Larry Weiman will work to help establish programs to encourage voluntary jury duty participation so that we have fair, balanced and unbiased juries that reflect the diversity of Harris County.
It has been reported that currently, less than 20% of people who receive summons for jury duty are appearing to serve as required under Texas law. Larry Weiman will encourage and assist in promoting the use of public service announcements that will raise public awareness of this requirement and the importance of eligible citizens performing this public service which is the foundation and lifeblood of our constitutional right to a trial by a jury of our peers.
More people can be made aware that they can proudly serve their community and country by performing this civic duty.
Larry Weiman will provide oral hearings on any motions that any party of record wishes to be heard by the 80th District Court and make prompt rulings. In addition, he will streamline court procedures, consistent with the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, to reduce if not eliminate waste of attorneys time and their clients money.
He will ensure that cases go to trial by jury, if requested, as soon as possible in accordance with the Rules and Texas law so that both sides can seek justice at the earliest, practical date. This will also minimize litigation costs.
Larry Weiman will be professional, impartial, fair, courteous and respectful of all who come before this court, as we should expect of all of our judges.
Larry Weiman believes that the Civil District Court Judges can help speed up the dockets of the Family Law Courts for citizens who need to get hearings and trials sooner then the current backlog allows.
Since there is presently a much higher case load in the 9 Family Law Courts than that of the 25 civil district courts, if elected as Judge of the 80th, Larry Weiman will volunteer to serve at the Family Law Center two days per month to hear discovery, enforcement, uncontested matters and other routine motions that any civil district judge can rule on or to preside over trials, if the presiding judge of that court and the parties agree.
If at least 18 of the other 25 civil district court judges would also agree to sit two days per month at the Family Law Center then there would be at least two civil judges working with each Family Law Court who would alternate, so that one of them would be present one day each week. While attorneys for the parties would have the right to object, there are many who would agree to have their routine motions heard more quickly by a visiting civil district court judge rather than waiting a much longer period to appear before the presiding judge or associate judge, as is the present situation.
This would help move the dockets of these courts by allowing the presiding Family Law Judge and the Associate Judge of each Court to get to the more difficult Family Law hearings and contested divorce and custody trials much sooner and thereby speed up access to these courts for all Harris County citizens.