David Roberson

Qualifications: What characteristics and experience qualify you to serve as a justice?

I have been practicing complex civil litigation and business tax law advisory for nearly fourteen (14) years, with clients from individuals to Fortune 50 companies. This requires circumspect review.

Ethics: Since judicial candidates solicit donations and raise money to be elected, how can voters be assured that campaign donations will not impact how judges interpret the law and review lower court decisions?

Judges must hold themselves to strong ethics and behavior. However, making donations public and presented would serve as an outside check on ethical behavior.

Equity: What can be done to improve access to justice for all, including persons or groups who may be underserved?

Our system does a poor job of properly funding public defender offices throughout Texas. It would behoove those in the Judiciary to consider supporting legislative allocation of funding towards improving the courthouse access and proper representation for all.

Judicial Elections: How would the administration of justice be impacted if judges ran in nonpartisan races?

Given the average voter's level of political awareness, I would expect that a non-partisan race may cause either confusion or inquistiveness - to determine which candidate is their choice. As to the administration of justice, I would expect any person elected would comport themselves under the law, with some deference to personal positions that the record would quickly reveal.

Other Issues: What issues do you believe will be the most pressing for the Texas Supreme Court?

Two pressing social issues that will generate litigation are exceptions to abortion restrictions, and the I-35 corridor construction through Austin. I expect those issues to rise to the Supreme Court's attention rapidly, and it behooves the Court to consider the impact of their decisions on individual Texans when considering these cases.