Questions for Candidates for County Civil Courts from the Conservative Coalition of Harris County Our questionnaire has two parts; a short answer section to go onto the Voter s guide and longer answer section that will give the candidate space to indicate their reasons and opinions concerning issues surrounding their races. This questionnaire will be posted onto the Conservative Coalition of Harris County website for public voter viewing. Candidate Name Position for which Candidate is Running Erin Swanson Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 2 Short Answer Question Form: Please indicate your position with the following abbreviations. (SF-Strongly favor, F-Favor, U-Undecided, O-Oppose, SO-Strongly oppose, NR-No response) Question Which Supreme Court Justice most closely represents your judicial philosophy? Roberts / Kennedy / Thomas / Kagan / Ginsburg / Breyer / Alito / Sotomayor / Gorsuch Should Texas judges be allowed to display the Ten Commandments in their courtrooms? Does the current Texas Civil Legal code that limits the size of jury awards (in certain civil cases) protect the general public from lawsuit abuse? Is the County Civil court system fairly efficient given the number of cases handled each year by the civil courts? Answer Alito Thomas Gorsuch, so far (consistent conservatives) Yes, SF In general, yes, but adjustments need to be made by the legislature from time to time, and nothing is fool proof. Overall, yes, but this court is poorly run, and attorneys complain of inefficiency and the judge not being willing to go to trial. 2018 CCHC PAC County Civil Court Questionnaire Page 1
Long Answer Question Form. Please give your answer to each of the following questions and please include your rationale with each answer. Please be concise & clear. 1. Please describe the qualifications and experience that make you the best candidate for the office for which you are running. Answer: I am an experienced trial attorney. I am used to following the Rules of Evidence and making tough decisions within the law. Judges who do not have much trial experience put off going to trial, which backlogs the courts and deprives parties of their day in court. I have been active in conservative grassroots, and people know and trust that I am a Constitutional conservative who will follow the law and not legislate from the bench. I have a reputation for being even-handed and treating all parties with respect. 2. Please describe what you believe are the most significant issues in this race and why. Answer: Attorneys asked me to run for this court because the current judge ignores the law. I believe in the Constitution and the Separation of Powers. Judges should not legislate from the bench but follow the law. I believe we need judges who make clear, timely rulings the parties understand. We also need judges willing to go to trial and clear their docket. Attorneys complain of not being able to get a trial setting and the judge granting ex parte (only one party present, which is against the rules) continuances, which delay cases. One attorney recently had a case last 8 years in this court, and he refuses to take cases in this court anymore. Other attorneys have moved their practices to district court to avoid this court. I will not play favorites among attorneys. Instead, I will fairly apply the law. 3. If you could write a biography on any Justice of the United States Supreme Court (past or present) who would it be? Why? Answer: Justice Antonin Scalia. He is a rule-of-law judge. He was a strict constitutionalist who believed the Constitution means what it says, unlike liberal progressives who think it is a living document subject to interpretation and a changing culture. Like Scalia, I believe in interpreting the Constitution and laws literally and textually. 4. List the state(s) in which you are or have been licensed to practice law, and the date(s) you received such licenses. Answer: The State of Texas, 05/01/14 5. List the state or federal court(s) in which you are or have been licensed to practice, and the date(s) you received such licenses. Answer: Texas Supreme Court, 05/01/14; United States District Court Southern District of Texas 11/09/17; United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 11/17/17 6. Are your licenses in good standing in each state and federal jurisdiction in which you have been licensed; why or why not? Answer: Yes, they are all in good standing. I passed the Texas Bar Exam on the first try and am actively practicing law. 2018 CCHC PAC County Civil Court Questionnaire Page 2
7. Please list the undergraduate colleges or universities, law schools and any other graduate schools that you attended, the years you attended, the degrees you received and the years of any and all graduations. Answer: South Texas College of Law Houston, Juris Doctorate, 2011-2013, grad. 2013 LeTourneau University, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, 2003-2007, grad. 2007 Lone Star College, 2002-2004 (dual credit during high school & summer) 8. To what extent have you practiced in the area of Civil law? Answer: I worked as General Counsel to a tech start-up company; have done some civil work in private practice; clerked for Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, and Aziz, a highly-respected Houston civil law firm; and clerked for the Texas Attorney General Tort Litigation Division. I also interned with the prestigious conservative Judge Jerry E. Smith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (one level below the U.S. Supreme Court). 9. What carries the greatest influence in your rulings: civil case law, the Constitution, state statutes, or other? Answer: The Constitution, State Statutes, legislative intent, and then civil case law 10. Please identify what changes can be made to the county civil court system to make it more efficient from your point of view. Answer: They could add an expedited docket for short appearances to save attorneys time, which saves their clients money and improves court efficiency. Judges need to hold parties accountable in going to trial in a timely manner. Judges should not reset trial cases ex parte (with only one party present) and for no reason when witnesses are present and ready. 11. Please describe the changes you will make to improve the efficiency of your court (the ideal workload balance for your court in hours-per-week allocated to court sessions, case review in the office, training, collaboration, etc.). Answer: I will add an expedited docket for short appearances, whenever possible, to save attorneys time, which saves their clients money and improves court efficiency. Many improvements have been made in recent years through Stan Stanart s County Clerk s Office. Remaining improvements are up to each judge to implement efficient systems within their court, maintain control of the courtroom, and keep things moving. 12. What has been your greatest accomplishment in your legal career? In your personal life? Answer: As a Harris County prosecutor, I was able to fight for justice for others. Sometimes this involved going to trial for the toughest punishment possible, and other times this meant dismissing cases where someone had been wrongfully charged. I believe this mindset has translated to my personal life, where I have stood up for the right thing even when it was difficult. 13. Please explain why you do, or do not, support applying term limits to civil court judges. Answer: While there are pros and cons with anything, I do not support applying term limits as I believe voters get the opportunity to apply term limits by voting out judges who are not doing a good job. Term limits restrict the rights of voters to vote for who they want. 2018 CCHC PAC County Civil Court Questionnaire Page 3
14. Do you believe that voluntary professional and community service is a necessary commitment for persons holding public office? What forms of voluntary professional and community service have you been involved with in the past? Currently? Answer: Yes, I believe all elected officials should be in touch with the community they serve. I have been on the board of Federalist Society, Republican Legal Society, Advocates for Life, and Phi Delta Phi legal honors society. I volunteer as a judge for mock trial and alternative dispute resolution tournaments, am in the Houston Young Lawyers Association Leadership Academy (planning a CLE on human trafficking and fundraising to help stop it), and am on the South Texas College of Law Young Alumni Council. I have volunteered in local and international missions. I have served in a food bank and hurricane shelters. I have volunteered in grassroots campaigns my whole life. 15. How would you prepare yourself to handle cases involving unfamiliar areas of the law? Answer: I will study that area of law. I will ask attorneys to brief cases if necessary. I will research the law and talk to experienced mentors, of which I am fortunate to have many. Attorneys appreciate a humble judge willing to learn and admit what they do not know rather than making rash, emotional decisions. Questions 16-17 relate to your viewpoints from a VOTER s point of view only. (They may or may not have any relation to your judicial philosophy and judgment.) 16. As a voter, what are the main social conservative values that you look for when voting for federal congressional candidates (House and Senate races)? Answer: As a voter, I look for socially conservative candidates who will protect life from conception to natural death and who believe every life is precious. I also look for candidates who support Judeo-Christian family values. I believe it is easy for candidates to say the right thing but that actions speak louder than words. What have they done to promote those values? Who have they given money to? How have they been voting? 17. As a voter, what are the main fiscal conservative values that you look for when voting for federal congressional candidates (House and Senate races)? Answer: As a voter, I look for candidates who view every cent they spend as taxpayer money that they need to be good stewards of. I look for people who want smaller government and who do not think the government needs to provide everything from cradle to grave. I am tired of our country supporting other countries more than our own veterans. I want candidates who will fight to lower taxes. I also do not agree with property taxes as one can never fully own their property. I also do not agree with death taxes as a deceased individual s money has already been taxed over and over. I want people who respect and follow the Constitution. BY RETURNING THIS QUESTIONNAIRE, THE CANDIDATE ASSUMES FULL RESPONSIBLITY FOR ALL ANSWERS TO THIS QUESTIONNAIRE. THE ANSWERS ON THE FOREGOING REFLECT THE CANDIDATE S BEST EFFORTS TO ANSWER THIS QUESTIONNAIRE HONESTLY AND DIRECTLY. PLEASE SAVE YOUR COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE TO YOUR LOCAL MACHINE IN THE EVENT THAT THERE ARE ANY TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO EMAIL IT BACK. Once this questionnaire has been completed, please email it to: 2018 CCHC PAC County Civil Court Questionnaire Page 4
alex@cchc-pac.org * Please note: You must return your questionnaire from the email address to which it was sent. Questionnaires returned from any other email address will be considered fraudulent and will not be recorded and no answers will be published in the voter s guide. CCHC-PAC deems a return from the proper email address as authentication of the correct respondent. 2018 CCHC PAC County Civil Court Questionnaire Page 5