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Issue: No. 72 January 3, 2017
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In this issue ....
Click here to download a revised chart of Harris County family courts. Phone numbers for some courts have changed and of course there is a new judge in the 507th.
I traveled to East Texas to see my cousin Jeff Fletcher sworn in as district judge in Wood County. It was moving and emotional to hear the politicians and Jeff's son talk about this guy I known my entire life and to sense the humility, excitement and uncertainty he feels upon taking office. Cousin Jeff won 57% of the 8,873 votes in the March Republican primary and faced no opposition in November in this very Republican, very rural county (Trump got 84% of the votes). The courthouse is old and very small, but the challenges the judicial system faces are very big. As in much of rural America, there is a big drug problem up in the piney woods. Wood County is typical of the huge swath of the middle of American where Hillary Clinton lost big time. Religion (of a protestant, evangelical Christian sort) pervades everything and at the swearing in ceremony there was not much separation of church and state to be seen.
I met many good people there but they just see the world completely differently than us coastal elites. One older gentleman sat on a bench next to me away from the crowd for a while and we talked about his ranch, his divorce and the secret Islamic army training in inner cities, which he hopes Trump roots out. This seemingly sweet man expected my cousin to be a fair judge and he really wanted Trump to change his mind and prosecute Mrs. Clinton. I met a charming newly elected Republican State Senator who thinks that eliminating straight ticket voting would probably suppress Democratic voting in urban areas like Houston (and he may be right). I kept my political opinions to myself and did not tell anyone I was once a convention delegate for Jesse Jackson or that I am closing my law office on January 20 to protest the inauguration and mourn.
In the end, I realized that I had much more in common with these good East Texas folks than we had areas of disagreement. I just wish politics could be more like the courtroom - we may compete and present opposing arguments but we do so in a way that is civil and polite. I do not have to hate those who disagree with me and if I listen carefully with an open mind, my own position may soften or change.
It was an good, eye opening visit to a part of Texas where my a lot of my childhood was spent during holidays and summers, often being picked on by my older brother and this cousin who now wears black robes.
Cousin Jeff (er, his Honor) is a big fan of this newsletter and he encouraged me to write more, which I plan to do.
I strongly recommend the Outlander series on Amazon. The best selling books by Diana Gabaldon were really good and this high quality series available for streaming on Amazon/Starz and on DVD combines history, romance, violence and a touch of Scottish magic to entertain almost anyone. My wife and office manager liked it so much that they are off this week for a trip to Scotland! I am in charge of boys and dogs at home and doing my own bank deposits at the office for 8 days. I sure hope Anna and Toni are not sucked back in time like the heroine of this series - I really need them to return and miss Toni already.
 
I do not expect to win every case. I just want an efficient system in which my client gets a fair hearing before a judge who works hard, knows the law, and does not play favorites. I also expect judges to appoint qualified amicus attorneys who zealously look after children (and who actually personally visit their minor clients in their homes). Is that asking too much? Stay tuned.
Greg Enos
The Enos Law Firm
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The Enos Law Firm
17207 Feather Craft Lane, Webster, Texas 77598
(281) 333-3030 Fax: (281) 488-7775
Please forward this e-mail newsletter to everyone who cares about our family courts!
Click here for an archive of past issues of
The Mongoose.
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 New Faces in the 507th
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Julia Maldonado was sworn in as judge of the 507th District Court on Sunday, but the show most lawyers will be able to attend is the
Investiture Ceremony on
Thursday, January 5, 2017 at noon in the 17th floor Ceremonial Courtroom in the
Civil Courthouse Building. There will be a r
eception Following the Ceremony.
The new Associate Judge of the 507th is
Jim Evans. Evans is 49 years old and was born and raised in Harris County. He graduated magna cum laude from Houston Baptist University in 1989 with degrees in Spanish and History. Evans graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1992 with a masters degree in education. He graduated from the University of Houston Law Center in 2003 and has practiced bankruptcy law and family law. Evans has two sons and is divorced from their mother. Evans is now married to William Flowers, who has had his own difficult time in family court in Judge Sheri Dean's court with his ex-wife (disclaimer: I represented Mr. Flowers in his successful appeal overturning a portion of then Associate Judge Prine's ruling). Maldonado and Evans competed against each other to get the nomination in 2016 that resulted in Maldonado's election.
Maldonado and Evans represent the kind of change we will see on the family bench when/if Democrats continue to win local judicial elections. Instead of an all white group of almost all married judges, we get a divorced, Hispanic mom/grandmother as judge and a divorced, remarried, openly gay father as associate judge. That my friends is diversity and it frankly is more representative of the changing demographics of Harris County. However, the Anglo, Republican family court judges we have now are, for the most part, hard working, fair and honest and I truly hope that Judge Maldonado can live up to their high standards.
The new coordinator for the 507th will be
Kristel Rubio, the former clerk for Judge Judy Warne. Not that there is any perceptible pattern to Maldonado's hiring, but
Ben Alva has left Judge Millard's court to be the court reporter for Judge Maldonado.
I have high expectations for Judge Maldonado and her new team and I will be sure to let you know if they fall short.
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Lemkuil and Perez Move On To New Challenges
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Alyssa Lemkuil was a darn good judge. She lost not because of the job she was doing, but because she was a Republican in a presidential election year in an urban county where demographics are trending in a way that favors Democrats. Lemkuil posted a very sweet, touching video on Facebook that said a lot about her feelings and her character. A judge who can quote Winnie the Pooh knows her stuff.
Lemkuil announced last week that she plans to run for the 257th District Court in two years as Judge Judy Warne plans to retire. Lemkuil is, for now, opening Alyssa Lemkuil Mediation. At this time mediations will take place at Greenway Mediation Center. $500 per side for a half day. A website and new phone should be up soon but until then Lemkuil can be contacted at 281-236-6655 or [email protected].
Lemkuil's Assocoiate Judge, Amy Perez, is opening her own law office in Spring, Texas. I will provide her contact information in my next newsletter.
We all should thank these ladies for their service over the past year and the sacrifices they made to leave their law practices and take office knowing full well it would be a difficult election year.
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Useful Links for Lawyers
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Attorney Greg Enos has been through his own divorce and
child custody battle (he won) and understands
what his clients are going through. Enos
graduated from the University of Texas Law
School and was a successful personal injury
attorney in Texas City be
fore he decided his true
calling was to help families in divorce and child
custody cases. Greg Enos is active in politics and in Clear Lake area charities. He has served as President of the Bay Area Bar Association and President of the Board of
Interfaith Caring Ministries. The Enos Law Firm serves clients in Galveston County, Brazoria County and Harris County, Texas.
Greg Enos
Board Certified in Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
The Enos Law Firm
281-333-3030
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