"Meyers to take on Keller for top judge post," is the title of Christy Hoppe's report in today's Dallas Morning News.
Presiding Judge Sharon Keller is being challenged for her top spot on the Court of Criminal Appeals by a fellow Republican colleague who has served with her for more than a decade.
Judge Larry Meyers, who has served on the court for 23 years, has told colleagues that he will file for Keller’s seat in the Republican primary next year, setting up a rare contest between jurists on the same bench.
Keller was buffeted by challenges last year, including a high-profile legal battle against the state Commission on Judicial Conduct. Keller successfully fought a “public warning” issued against her by the commission for declining to keep the court open for a last-minute death row appeal.
And:
In a memo obtained Wednesday by The Dallas Morning News that Meyers presented to the other eight members of the court, he never mentioned Keller’s legal fight, but instead stated that all federal appellate courts and several state Supreme Courts rotate their chief justice positions.
“Therefore, I have decided to seek my party’s nomination for this position in next year’s election — I will make a formal announcement to this effect later this week,” he said.
Meyers is the longest-tenured member on the appellate court — the highest venue to review criminal cases in Texas.
"Judge from Fort Worth to seek top post on Texas Court of Criminal Appeals," by Aman Batheja and Dave Montgomery for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Lawrence "Larry" Meyers confirmed Wednesday that he is planning to run for the court's top spot, challenging controversial Presiding Judge Sharon Keller in next year's Republican primary.
Meyers, of Fort Worth, was the first Republican elected to the Court of Criminal Appeals, in 1992, and is its longest-serving member.
On Tuesday, he sent a brief memo to his colleagues explaining his decision to seek the post, implying that Keller has been presiding judge for too long. Keller has been on the court since 1994 and has been presiding judge since 2000.
"The normal term for this position is 8-10 years. As such, it is time to rotate the presiding judgeship on our Court," Meyers wrote in the memo.
Keller, in her second term as presiding judge, said she wasn't aware of Meyers' plan until the memo was circulated to court members.
At the Texas Lawyer Tex Parte blog, Mary Alice Robbins posts, "Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Larry Meyers to challenge CCA Presiding Judge Sharon Keller in 2012 Republican primary."
The election season is about to heat up at the all-Republican Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
In a memo sent Tuesday to other judges and staff at the CCA, Judge Larry Meyers announced his intention to run for presiding judge of the CCA in the 2012 Republican primary. Meyers has served on the CCA for 18 years. He did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.
At Meyers’ request, Austin public affairs consultant Russ Keene confirms Meyers’ intention to enter the race. “We’re putting out a full press release tomorrow [Thursday] to the media,” Keene says.
And:
One recipient, who declines to be identified, says Meyers indicated in the memo that several state supreme courts and all federal courts have term limits or mandatory rotation of the chief judge and that the term normally served is from eight to 10 years. The memo recipient says Meyers wrote that “it’s time to rotate” and Meyers indicated he would make a formal announcement of his candidacy later this week.
Earlier coverage of CCA Presiding Judge Keller begins at the link. Related posts are in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals index.
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