1. Who are you, and what are you running for?
My name is Paula Goodhart and I am currently the Judge of Harris County Criminal Court at Law #1. In March I was selected by the Harris County Commissioner’s Court to fill a vacancy in Court #1 that was left when the previous judge unexpectedly retired.
2. What kind of cases does this court hear?
County Criminal Court #1 is one of 15 misdemeanor courts in Harris County that has jurisdiction over class A and B misdemeanors. We handle primarily domestic violence assaults, driving while intoxicated cases, drug and marijuana possession cases, vehicle burglaries and thefts. A vast majority of offenders in misdemeanor court are between the ages of 17 and 21. There were approximately 83,000 misdemeanor cases distributed to the 15 courts last year alone.
3. Why are you running for this particular bench?
I am passionate about participating in a fair and effective criminal justice system and protecting the Texas and United States Constitutions. My professional background and experiences give me the balanced perspective to impartially and justly handle the matters presented in Court #1. In addition, I believe I have a responsibility to protect the public from future criminal activity – whether that be by incarcerating an individual or motivating a young non-violent offender to complete his or her education as a part of community supervision. Approximately 85{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} of individuals in prison today are high school drop-outs. If I can use court intervention to motivate just one individual to complete their education to lessen their chances of becoming one of those statistics I will be one step closer to carrying out my responsibility as a Judge. To that end, I have created a program unique to Court #1 called the A.C.E. (Achievement through Commitment and Education) program where young non-violent offenders who have plead guilty participate in a special intensive probation where the goal is to achieve success through education.
4. What are your qualifications for this job?
I am an honors graduate of the University of Texas and a graduate of the University of Houston Law Center. I was an Assistant District Attorney for nearly 14 years and handled over 100 jury trials during my career as a prosecutor including capital murders, aggravated robberies and kidnappings to name a few. In 2007 I left the District Attorney’s office to pursue a private practice focused on criminal defense. During my nearly 17 years as an attorney practicing exclusively criminal law, I have had the opportunity to interview hundreds of witnesses and assist police officers on legal matters. I have taught criminal law at the Houston Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff’s Academy, the Houston Fire Department, the Pasadena Police Department and the Harris County Fire Marshall’s Regional Conference. I have been honored by the District Attorney’s Victim Witness Division for my work on behalf of victims. In addition I received a commendation from the Federal Bureau of Investigation for exceptional service in the public interest. Since being the Judge of Criminal Court #1 I have reduced the court’s caseload by 10{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} and presided over 16 jury trials.
5. Why is this race important?
Anyone in this county can be a victim of a crime at any time. Additionally, thousands of individuals are accused of misdemeanors yearly. All participants, whether they be the victim or the defendant deserve to have a qualified Judge with the appropriate judicial temperament to handle cases fairly, professionally and as swiftly as justice allows.
6. Why should people vote for you in November?
My professional experience and dedication to public service at the Criminal Justice Center qualifies me to continue to serve as the Judge of Criminal Court #1. In addition, since being appointed to the bench in March, I hit the ground running and have proven that I am dedicated and competent and that I am the kind of Judge citizens can trust.
Website: PaulaGoodhart.com
Facebook: Paula Goodhart for Judge
