Go Vote!

Tuesday, November 6, 2018 is the date, now is the time to have your voice heard. At the McCraw Law Group, we have clients, friends and referral partners of all political stripes and persuasions. To us, each of you is important regardless of your political beliefs. To the politicians representing all of us in Washington, Austin, and in the Courts of Appeals across the different regions of this state, and in our countywide offices you are only truly important if you exercise your right and your duty to inform yourself of the positions and take the time to go vote.

Today in America there is really not much that any of us must do. There currently is no military draft. Our two duties are to show up for jury duty when called and to vote. I don’t care how big your American flag pin is or what steps you take to show others that you are honoring our country, if you want to be a true American patriot, show up for jury duty, exercise the right to vote, and recognize the sacrifices that others make and have made so we can live in safety and security. Nothing honors those sacrifices more than making our democracy work and it only works when we vote and when we show up for jury duty and make our civil justice system work.

At the McCraw Law Group, we are partial to the 7th Amendment to the Constitution—the right to a jury trial for civil cases. On the ballot in addition to the marque races that get all of the attention, are a number of judicial races that get overlooked. Please do not overlook the courts of appeals races where you live. Up here, our courts of appeals races include 8 Republican justices who are being challenged by 8 Democrats. There has not been a Democrat on that court in several decades. Two of those justices voted to take away a million-dollar JURY VERDICT against the apartment complex holding that no reasonable person could anticipate that a criminal would come through a window without a properly functioning latch and rape two different women. Please consider voting against Justice Molly Francis and Justice Craig Stoddart who both took part in that decision. Of course, the Texas Ethics reports indicate that the two justices mentioned above accepted contributions from a North Texas Apartment PAC and Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC while the case was pending appeal. The Democrats running for these positions and the others all are running specifically on the need to honor jury verdicts supported by the evidence as this one was. The constitutional right to a jury trial doesn’t mean a lot if a judge can overturn it at a whim.

Consider carefully all of the races you are privileged to vote on. There are many good people running from both parties who deserve a careful look and a reasoned vote. Political people say that Texas is a low turn out state. Let’s all get out there and change that right now! If you do not, you have no right to complain later when politicians do not honor your needs or ideas.

As you are going, call a friend of neighbor. Take them to the polls with you. Start a tradition of community building as you go vote.