Touting their careers as trial lawyers, Austin Reeve Jackson and Jarad Kent are both arguing they are more qualified for Smith County's 114th District Court.

In a race that pits criminal law experience against civil, Jackson and Kent are competing in the Republican Primary runoff for the bench in Tyler. No Democrat is running in November, which means that the runoff victor will take the bench in 2021.

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

Kent, managing partner and founder of the Tyler office of Chamblee Ryan, wrote that his civil and criminal litigation experience covers many areas of law, and very serious, high-dollar cases. He's developed an expertise in health care litigation.

"My wide-ranging legal experience prepares me to serve as a well-rounded judge," Kent wrote. "As Smith County continues to grow as the medical heart of East Texas, having a judge that can fairly and knowledgeably handle these cases will be an incredible asset."

But Jackson counters that he's the most experienced candidate. He's handled over 1,000 criminal cases and served as lead counsel in over 100 civil matters, and he's board certified in criminal trial law and criminal appellate law, he wrote.

"My opponent has never handled a single criminal case. This means too that I am the only candidate with death penalty experience, the only candidate who has worked with children and adult victims of sexual assault, and the only candidate ready to handle these critically important cases on day one without having to learn on the job," wrote Jackson.

Here are the Q&As for Jackson and Kent.

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

|

Austin Reeve Jackson

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

Austin Reeve Jackson Austin Reeve Jackson. Courtesy photo.

Austin Reeve Jackson is a third-generation Smith County attorney with over 16 years of civil and criminal law experience. He is a small-business owner, double-board certified in criminal trial law and criminal appellate law and has been named a Texas Super Lawyer Rising Star nine times. He has a long record of community volunteerism in Smith County, including leading an effort to provide free legal services to United States veterans. Jackson is a pro-life conservative with a strong Republican record. He is a member of the Federalist Society, has volunteered for dozens of Republican campaigns statewide and has donated extensively to Republican candidates. Jackson is endorsed by Grassroots America – We the People, State Representative Matt Schaefer, and the March Primary's third-place finisher, Mitch Adams. Reeve and his wife, Dr. Laura Jackson, are members of Marvin United Methodist Church, where they both teach Sunday school. They have two daughters, Maryellen and Allison.

Why do you want this position?

Smith County is my home. It is where I grew up and where I chose to raise my family. Our community deserves a judge with the highest level of experience and ethics and I am uniquely qualified to bring these traits to the bench. Further, in the role of judge I can continue my well-established history of service to the local community.

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

I am the most experienced candidate in this race. I am board certified in both criminal trial Law and criminal appellate law and have handled over 1,000 criminal cases right here in Smith County. My opponent has never handled a single criminal case. This means too that I am the only candidate with death penalty experience, the only candidate who has worked with children and adult victims of sexual assault and the only candidate ready to handle these critically important cases on day one without having to learn on the job. Additionally, I have more experience as lead counsel in civil cases. Just here in Smith County I have been lead counsel in over 100 civil matters — my opponent has done in the same in less than 10 cases. Smith County deserves a local, experienced attorney to serve as judge and I am the only candidate who meets those requirements.

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

Judicial records show that the majority of what this cases handles are criminal cases. As the only candidate with criminal law experience I will be able to move the criminal docket more efficiently and with better results. We can employ procedures used in other counties that have reduced both the time and costs involved in resolving criminal cases while simultaneous improving outcomes for all involved. This will free more of the court's resources for those civil cases that need to be tried or otherwise require the court's attention.

Where can voters go for more information about you?

|

Jarad Kent

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

Jarad Kent Jarad Kent, partner in Chamblee Ryan in Tyler. Courtesy photo.

I graduated with honors in 2005 from The Catholic University of America, where I double-majored in politics and philosophy. I attended law school at Baylor University School of Law where I graded on to the prestigious Baylor Law Review. During law school I clerked for Chief Justice Linda Thomas of the Dallas Fifth Court of Appeals.

Following law school I accepted a position at Chamblee Ryan, practicing civil trial law. During my 11 years with Chamblee Ryan, I have been named a "Rising Star" by Texas Super Lawyers for five consecutive years. I was also recently selected by my peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2020 in the field of personal injury litigation. I have advanced quickly in my career from being an associate in the firm to becoming a partner and opening the firm's first branch office in Tyler, which has now grown to three lawyers.

Why do you want this position?

Service to my community is a value that was taught to me by my parents from an early age. Despite having a successful practice, I know that I am called to do more for my community with the blessings I have in my life. I truly have been blessed with one of the best legal educations available. I believe it is my duty to use those blessings to bring strength to my community by being a thoughtful, dedicated, hard-working and fair judge.

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

I am the best candidate for Judge of the 114th Judicial District Court, a mixed-docket court adjudicating both civil and criminal matters, seated in Smith County. I am the managing partner and founder of law firm Chamblee Ryan's Tyler offices, with a broad range of expertise. I've represented small businesses, large enterprises, and individual citizens in courts all over the great state of Texas. My practice touches many areas of the law — healthcare, transportation, business disputes, labor disputes, property disputes and class actions, among others. I've handled cases involving serious injuries and fatalities and cases with millions of dollars at stake. My wide-ranging legal experience prepares me to serve as a well-rounded judge, ready to adjudicate the many types of cases that come before the 114th District Court.

In particular, I've established an expertise in health care litigation, representing doctors, hospitals, nurses and assisting everyday citizens navigate complex health care law. As Smith County continues to grow as the medical heart of East Texas, having a judge that can fairly and knowledgeably handle these cases will be an incredible asset to this community. I have wide-ranging support across the legal community in Smith County, with endorsements from the retired sheriff, retired judges, plaintiffs lawyers, civil defense attorneys, criminal defense attorneys and the former district attorney. I have been unanimously endorsed by the East Texas Regional Fraternal Order of Police. The legal community and our law enforcement officers are confident I will be the fair, knowledgeable, and conservative judge that Smith County needs. I've worked tirelessly throughout this campaign to show the citizens of Smith County the work ethic, character, and integrity I will bring with me to the bench, and I am thankful for all of the supporters who have stood with me throughout this campaign.

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

As judge I will bring with me my experience managing a busy trial docket in private practice. Ensuring the docket of the court moves fluidly requires a judge to not only work with the lawyers that appear before the court, but also requires that the judges push the lawyers to work. As judge I will actively keep an eye on every case on the docket to ensure that they are progressing. I will pay close attention to the jail list to ensure that those cases where a defendant is sitting in the county jail are moving efficiently. On the civil side, I will bring my experience working with lawyers from all sides of the docket to ensure that cases don't drag on for years clogging the court's docket.

Where can voters go for more information about you?