by Felicia Moon Thomas
Fort Bend County is characterized by its rapid growth and remarkable diversity:
key facts that make most residents proud. At the same time, however, residents are
forced to grapple with a dark cloud that looms over increasing demands on the County’s
judicial system and rogue commissioners who threaten to eliminate several vital roles.
Following a June 8 Commissioner’s Court session, which included discussion of cutting
key associate judge positions, shock and immediate backlash ensued.
All 8 District Court Judges, Republicans and Democrats, voted against the cuts.
Family Court Judge Kali Morgan, who has been advocating for a more robust judicial
system since 2021, argues that those who seek to eliminate the associate judges have
no clue of the detriment such a move will cause. “I’m worried about what will happen to
our citizens, especially those who stand to suffer the most: our children.” She goes on
to explain that between the three current Family Court Judges: Monica Rawlins, Oscar
Telfair, and Morgan, there are roughly 8,000 cases between them. “We’re good,” she
says, “but are we that good?” She points out that no other family court in the State of
Texas has to pull from a shared pool of associate judges, as Judge K.P. George and
Commissioner Meyers propose. Her most pressing concern is that the Commissioners
are unaware of the challenges facing the District Courts. “They have never interviewed
us, never sat in and observed a docket, and never considered our massive workload,
yet they want to take away our lifeline,” Morgan argues as she discusses the
unfathomable amount of work (roughly 200 cases a month) that her Associate Judge
LaTasha McGill-Clayton must endure.
Family Law Attorney Rocky Pilgrim agrees. “Defunding associate judges isn’t just
a budget decision. It’s a decision that will delay justice for families in crises, overwhelm
our courts, and jeopardize the safety and stability of children across our County.” At a
time when people seek help during the worst time of their lives, when they are going
through divorce, when their child is kidnapped, or when a spouse is experiencing
domestic abuse, George and Meyers want to pull the plug and demoralize Fort Bend
County families.
Clearly, felony-indicted Judge KP George is more concerned with dismantling the
entire Fort Bend County Justice system than securing what’s best for all citizens he
serves. He is on a one-person revenge tour and does not care who suffers along the
way. The ripple effect is far-reaching beyond what most realize.
Administrative Judge Christian Becerra voiced his concerns as he noted the
great strides that Fort Bend County courts are making with their various specialty
courts, including mental health, substance abuse, sanctions, and young offender courts,
among others. “Our goal is to reduce recidivism as we give offenders the tools
necessary to be successful. Our approach is to be proactive rather than reactive, and
it’s working. With innovative tools like our Apprenticeship Programs, where offenders
learn trades that make them [competitively] employable, we are ahead of the curve.”
Cutting associate judges will upend that curve and take Fort Bend County backwards.
Last year, there were sufficient funds available to give the commissioners and
other elected officials substantial raises. This year, however, while George and Meyers
argue that the budget cannot withstand the cost to keep all of the associate judges, they
nonetheless insist on wasting taxpayer dollars paying an outside law firm to advance
Trump’s illegal redistricting mandate. Judge Morgan says it best: “I challenge them to
look these hurting families in their faces and tell them that there is no money to
[effectively] try their cases and handle their safety emergencies.”
Becerra, however, argues that, according to the county auditor, there is money to
not only keep all 8 associate judges, but also add two new district courts. He has
announced that the Board of District Judges has unanimously adopted a bipartisan
resolution to support all of the Associate Judges. He says, “Any attempt to interfere with
the administration of justice is an attack on common sense and undermines the public
safety mandate that our justice system is designed to protect.”
Although George and Meyers are both pubic servants, it is clear that neither of
them has any interest in protecting the public safety of the Fort Bend County citizens.
He invites all citizens to stand with them as they defend the administration of justice in
Fort Bend County. You can show your support on Monday, August 4, 9:00 a.m., 401
Jackson St, Richmond, Room 203.
