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Midland County suffered from the COVID-19 shutdown and the oil and gas crash that followed. Now the two Republican candidates for Midland's 142nd District Court are arguing that their respective experience is what the county needs.

Mary Baker and David G. Rogers are competing in the Republican Primary runoff election for the bench. Without a Democratic candidate in November, the winner of the Republican runoff will win the bench.

Texas Lawyer is publishing Q&As with judicial candidates in runoff elections. Early voting runs from June 29 to July 10, and election day is July 14.

Rogers, partner in Fivecoat & Rogers, claims he's the only candidate who has successfully operated a small business.

"After running my own law firm for 14 years, I understand the difficult challenges small business owners are facing in today's economic market," he wrote. "I appreciate the concerns and crises many Midland County residents are currently experiencing."

Baker, of counsel with Lynch Chappell & Alsup, wrote that the Midland community can't begin to process the liability, rights violations, layoffs, breaches and other claims that have arisen because of the coronavirus.

"I am the civil-side, pro-business candidate who has actually worked behind a bench in a court, issuing rulings on both civil and criminal cases," she wrote. "I know how to efficiently handle a docket and will work to clear out an existing backlog on the civil side, from moment one."

Here are the Q&As for Baker and Rogers.

Read more: Texas Voters: Meet the Candidates Running for Judge in July Primary Runoffs

Mary Baker

What is a brief biography of work experience, educational qualifications and career honors that you want voters to know about?

Mary Baker Mary Baker, Lynch Chappell & Alsup, Midland TX

Mary Baker, a Texas Tech Law honors graduate, is endorsed by the largest business and energy firms and best attorneys in Midland. The bench she seeks is being vacated by the only civil-background attorney left among the four district courts in Midland. Baker got to Midland as soon as she could, raising her family and practicing law in Midland for over a decade. She was selected as a Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star in Energy Law for 2018-2020, due to her hard work litigating cases for business and oil and gas clients across Texas. A Top Woman Attorney in Texas, Mary Baker was also selected as a Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest "Woman of Distinction" in 2018 and a 2016 Midland "20 Under 40″ for her charity work and civic involvement with institutions from the United Way to the Museum of the Southwest. Baker is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and received recognition from the Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas for her work on a federal case involving prisoners' rights at the Reeves County Detention Center. Ms. Baker has the distinction of being a federal briefing attorney in Midland for four years earlier in her career, during which she handled numerous criminal trials for the court. After transitioning to civil practice, Baker was a partner in one of the fifteen largest Texas-based law firms, where she learned title examination from a preeminent practitioner in the field. She is capable of handling complex civil disputes as well as a criminal docket.

Why do you want this position?

If elected, Baker will support Midland's economy by giving due attention to the civil cases that keep Midland pumping. Baker will ensure that Midland's complex oil and gas and business cases are heard in a timely and efficient manner while also maintaining the needs of the demanding criminal docket.

How are you different or better suited for the bench than your opponent?

Midland County is the epicenter of oil and gas production in Texas, and since the March primary, we have been pummeled by the double-whammy of COVID-19 shut-down and oil prices that actually went negative for a time, a historic first. This has caused our town to suffer, resulting in liability, rights violations, layoffs, breaches, and claims the extent of which we, as a community, cannot even begin to really process until our courts fully reopen. I am the civil-side, pro-business candidate who has actually worked behind a bench in a court, issuing rulings on both civil and criminal cases. I know how to efficiently handle a docket and will work to clear out an existing backlog on the civil side, from moment one. I believe Midland has a bright future, provided we can get get our businesses back on their feet in a timely manner. My experience and knowledge, plus my career handling complex oil and gas litigation and title work, makes me uniquely qualified to handle ALL the needs of the bench of the 142nd District Court of Midland, Texas.

How would you go about managing this court's docket efficiently and effectively?

This particular court has been overwhelmed with the needs of our growing community in the past few years, and I am aware that a backlog exists on numerous matters. I would begin my tenure by obtaining a list of all pending items and cases from the district clerks and organizing a schedule to issue rulings for pending cases, with the assistance of the senior judge. For prospective cases, I would endeavor to make rulings in as timely a manner as possible, given complexity of the case. I would require my court coordinator to keep a list of all cases filed in the court, with attention to those pending more than six months. This list would be reviewed semi-annually and orders drafted to ensure the court resources were being efficiently deployed and no case was stagnating "in the back room." I would also make myself available to all attorneys (civil and criminal) on Friday lunches as much as possible for conference in chambers, to go over any issues they may perceive with how the court is being administered. Although all problems cannot be fixed, it is my hope that opportunity for dialogue with the local bar can give them some confidence that their needs are being met.

Where can voters go for more information about you?

David G. Rogers

What is a brief biography of work experience, educational qualifications and career honors that you want voters to know about?

I have been licensed since 1993. I have extensive criminal and civil trial experience. I am board certified in criminal trial law. I have 135 jury trials, over 100 appeals and over 300 bench trials.

Why do you want this position?

A long-time sitting judge is retiring. I believe that Midland needs a judge with extensive civil and criminal trial experience. I believe it is important to have experienced qualified judges on the bench.

How are you different or better suited for the bench than your opponent?

The primary difference between my opponent and myself is actual trial experience. I have tried over 135 jury trials and over 300 bench trials. I have also been involved in over 100 appeals. Additionally, I am the only board-certified candidate. I have a board certification in criminal trial law; my opponent does not. The majority of the 142nd Judicial District Court's time is spent on criminal cases. Consequently, my criminal law experience and board certification make me the better candidate for this particular judicial position.

Moreover, I also have extensive civil trial experience. I have tried several civil jury trials, and the 300 bench trials I have tried were predominately civil in nature. To my knowledge, my opponent has never tried a jury trial (civil or criminal) and never personally tried a contested bench trial.

I am also the only candidate to successfully operate a small business. After running my own law firm for 14 years, I understand the difficult challenges small business owners are facing in today's economic market. I appreciate the concerns and crises many Midland County residents are currently experiencing.

Finally, I was born and raised in Midland, Texas. My opponent was not. After graduating from college and law school, I moved back to Midland, Texas, and I chose to raise my family and to practice law in this community over the past 27 years. As a life-long Midlander, I have the stronger ties and commitment to Midland County, Texas.

In conclusion, I believe I am the better candidate because of my expertise in criminal law, my broad-based civil trial experience, my business background, and my long-term ties to Midland, Texas.

How would you go about managing this court's docket efficiently and effectively?

I will make timely rulings and see that criminal trials are set quickly and civil trials are given a scheduling order. There are numerous pending motions that require a ruling and I plan on attacking the backlog immediately.

Where can voters go for more information about you?

- Website: votedavidrogers.com - Facebook