Issue No. 93
Nov. 7, 2018
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Blue Wave Sweeps Out Harris County Judges

The Democratic Blue Wave hit Harris County and swept out every single Republican judge. Family attorneys will have to deal with nine new family district judges and their nine new associate judges starting January 1. All three juvenile judges also lost to Democrats. Democrats won county-wide in Fort Bend County but the GOP held on to its grip on power in Galveston, Brazoria and Montgomery counties. The superbly qualified Kerri Foley, a Republican, was elected to be County Court No. 2 judge in Galveston County. The Houston Courts of Appeals also went Democratic. In a local congressional race, Lizzie Pannill Fletcher beat John Culberson. Outside of Beto O'Rourke losing state-wide, local Democrats were exultant last night. Even popular Harris County Judge Ed Emmett lost his race. It was a total sweep in Harris County in county-wide races.

Sadly, we lost some excellent public servants in this sweep. David Farr, Roy Moore and Chris Daniel were wonderful at their jobs and they lost because of forces beyond their control. I know who is going to arbitrate my big property case next January.

If there is any joy to be had from last night, it is that evil Dr. Hotze no longer has influence in our courts and Jared Woodfill, Gary Polland and Doug York are going to have to radically adjust their business plans. We all can rejoice because political connections and influence will no longer make a select few rich in our family and juvenile courts.

I do not always like being correct, but here are my election predictions and the actual outcomes:

I said Beto O'Rourke would win Harris County by 11% to 16%. Beto won by 16.4%. I predicted that if Beto won by twelve percent or more, then the Democrats would probably win all of the judicial races. The Dems won every single race and even beat Judge Lisa Millard, who probably did not even show up to vote.

I predicted that [alleged] Zodiac Killer, Ted Cruz, would win the sadly deluded state of Texas by 5%. Cruz was able to report to his lizard alien masters that he won the state by 2.6%. Beto came closer than any Democrat has done state-wide in Texas in many years.

I said the Democrats would win the U.S. House of Representatives (they did) and that the Republicans would add one to their narrow majority in the Senate (the GOP looks like it added two to its majority in the Senate).

As I expected, President Trump took to Twitter Tuesday night to declare the evening a "tremendous success." His tweet did not mention the GOP loss of the House. Just wait until the new Democratic House starts investigating the administration and demanding Trump's tax returns. I expect Robert Mueller to finish his investigation this year and 2019 is going to be a nasty, crazy prelude to a long presidential election year in 2020. I urge you to check out www.2020frontrunner.com to keep up with the presidential election.
This newsletter will briefly focus on telling these new judges what they should do once they take office. However, I am an equal opportunity righter-of-wrongs and I expect I will soon be questioning the actions of a few of these new judges if they fail to live up to my high standards.
I may not win every case (even if in my heart I expect to). 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
The Enos Law Firm
  17207 Feather Craft Lane, Webster, Texas 77598
 (281) 333-3030    
www.divorcereality.com
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Final Election Results
Here the final election results for the Harris County family courts:
Memo to Judges-Elect
To: Newly Elected Harris County Family Court Judges

From: The Family Law Attorneys (who all pooped in their drawers last night)

Congratulations! Please be aware that the family bar is now slightly freaked out and suddenly very anxious to get to know you. This is what lawyers want from you as soon as possible:

  1. Please pick well known, highly qualified associate judges. Your best friend from law school, who knows even less family law than you, is not the right choice. Look for attorneys who are board certified and who we know. Consider some of the current AJ's, even if it is only for a few months. Your AJ can make you look great and help move cases or be our first hint you are an impending disaster.
  2. Please try to adopt uniform procedures. We hate it when each court handles cases differently.
  3. Early next year, appoint a committee of family law attorneys to draft new local rules to replace our 15 year old rules for family courts. I already have prepared a rough draft to consider.
  4. Your court coordinator is very important to us and essential to your success. Some of the current coordinators should be retained. Experienced clerks often make great coordinators. Your legal secretary may not be the best choice for this job.
  5. Learn from the excellent judges we are losing who really know what they are doing. I will volunteer to help Sheri Dean write a primer on how to conduct a jury trial for you. Please visit with Judges Farr and Moore and Franklin-York on how best to conduct docket call and deal with your CPS docket.
  6. PLEASE require every single person you appoint as amicus, mediator, receiver, etc. to e-file a fee report with the district clerk every time he or she is paid on the case. Transparency will go a long way to end political cronyism.
  7. Please broaden the pool of attorneys appointed to be amicus attorneys and create a rating system so that practicing attorneys can rate the amicus attorneys just like the Houston Bar allows us to rate you.
  8. Do not forget you were until recently in our shoes. If we are running late or failed to file something on time, please cut us reasonable slack and talk to us the way you wanted judges to speak to you.
  9. Be honest with yourself and us about what you do not know and start learning. Tell us as we start a hearing or trial what we need to explain or brief regarding the law.
  10. We know you will need some campaign funds to cover expenses for the next four years and we realize you each raised virtually no money this year given that you were taking on incumbents. Please go easy on lawyers and just expect us to give up to $250 to each of you and no more. Please do not take large donations from the big dollar attorneys who all supported your opponents.
  11. Please forgive those of us who supported your Republican opponents.
  12. If Greg Enos says to you in court, "With all due respect, Your Honor...." he really means "I cannot believe you do not freaking know that..." But, he cannot be held in contempt unless he also sighs loudly and rolls his eyes while making it clear how very wrong you are.
Thank you for your support! Together We Can Make Our Profession Better and Our Courts More Fair
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 before 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
www. divorce reality.com
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