{"id":1665,"date":"2025-10-20T08:07:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T13:07:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/?p=1665"},"modified":"2025-10-20T17:10:43","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T22:10:43","slug":"who-judges-the-judges-prop-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/who-judges-the-judges-prop-12\/","title":{"rendered":"Who judges the judges? &#8211; Prop 12"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1665\" class=\"elementor elementor-1665\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-68aa07a2 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"68aa07a2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-199a8041 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"199a8041\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Who Judges the judges? - Prop 12<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-91e5cda e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"91e5cda\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-101a7d74 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"101a7d74\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mclennan.gov\/1321\/November-4-2025-Joint-General-Election\">Early Voting for the November 4 election starts Monday (October 20,2025).<\/a> This will be <\/em><em>our <\/em><em>opportunity to vote on 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. That\u2019s a lot of<\/em> <em>propositions!<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0I am working through the list a few at a time and sharing how I plan to vote.\u00a0<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Here are links to the ones I have done so far:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/props-1-4-14\/\">Investing in Texas: Props 1, 4 &amp; 14<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/never-will-we-ever-props-2-6-8\/\">Never Will We Ever: Props 2, 6 &amp; 8\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/who-deserves-a-break-props-7-9-10-17\/\">Who Deserves a (TAX) Break Today? Props 7, 9, 10 &amp; 17<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/yes-i-guess-props-5-11-13\/\">Yes&#8230;I Guess: Props 5, 11, &amp; 13\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/bail-reform-prop-5\/\">Bail Reform: Prop 3<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/who-judges-the-judges-prop-12\/\">Who Judges the Judges? Prop 12<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/no-thanks-to-dumb-political-games-props-15-16\/\">No Thanks to Dumb Political Games: Props 15 &amp; 16<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><i><em>You are not allowed to take your phone with you into the polls, but you are allowed to take a piece of <\/em><em>paper with notes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><em>For what it\u2019s worth, here\u2019s a printable version of what I have figured out so far. I\u00a0<\/em><em>will update it every time I post till it is finished.: <a href=\"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/How-is-ABT-Voting-on-the-Proposed-TX-Constitutional-Amendments-Summary-final-corrected.pdf\">Propositions and How ABT is voting<\/a>.<\/em> <\/i><em>Thank you! \u2013 ABT)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<h4><br \/>How I Plan to vote and why:<\/h4>\n<p>I\u2019m going to be impressed if you know what the \u201cState Commission on Judicial Conduct (SCJC)\u201d is. \u00a0\u00a0I had to look it up.\u00a0 The SCJC is basically the ethics \u201cwatch dog\u201d for Texas judges.\u00a0 It\u2019s kind of like how the State Bar oversees lawyers, except for judges.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the mission statement according to their operational Guidelines: \u201cThe mission of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct is to protect the public, promote public confidence in the integrity, independence, competence, and impartiality of the judiciary, and encourage judges to maintain high standards of conduct both on and off the bench.\u201d<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>In the pursuit of this mission the SCJC investigates allegations of judicial misconduct or incapacity, and, if indicated, issues sanctions, censures, suspensions, or recommendations for removal from office.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>The commission is made up of 13 members.\u00a0 These members serve six-year terms.\u00a0 They receive no pay for their service.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>Currently, the 13 members are: \u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Six judges appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas, one from each of the following court levels: appellate, district, county court at law, constitutional county, justice of the peace, and municipal;<br \/><br \/><\/li>\n<li>Two attorneys appointed by the State Bar of Texas, who are not judges; and<br \/><br \/><\/li>\n<li>Five citizen members appointed by the Governor, who are neither attorneys nor judges.<br \/><br \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Prop 12 would get rid of the two attorneys appointed by the bar and instead give the governor the responsibility to appoint 7 citizens.\u00a0 In other words, if this passes the governor will be appointing the majority of commissioners (7\/13).\u00a0 This majority of commissioners will be \u201cregular people\u201d who don\u2019t necessarily have any particular legal training.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t like this idea. \u00a0\u00a0<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>Regardless of party, I feel like appointing the majority of commissioners gives the governor too much influence over our judges.\u00a0 Also, I think it is good for the bar to appoint at least a couple of members to this commission because I think it probably helps to have some commissioners who are not judges, but who understand how the law works at more than just a cursory level.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>Other parts of this amendment make it more likely that more of the sanctions issued by the commission will be public instead of private.\u00a0 This is appealing because it makes the workings of the commission more transparent.\u00a0 But I am concerned that in this case \u201ctransparency,\u201d combined with a majority of commissioners who are political appointees of the governor, could invite political theatre instead of judicious consideration of the facts of a case.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>I know there are some people who are concerned that trust in our judiciary is eroding, but I don\u2019t think the changes proposed here will help that. In fact, I worry that this proposed amendment would make it worse.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p>I will be voting NO on proposition 12.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<h4>Resources:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Ballot Language &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sos.state.tx.us\/elections\/forms\/november-2025-ballot-language-17.pdf\">Ballot Language for the November 4, 2025 Constitutional Amendment<\/a><br \/>Election<\/li>\n<li>Every Texan &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/everytexan.org\/2025\/09\/30\/whats-on-the-ballot-every-texans-take-on-the-2025-constitutional-amendments\/\">What\u2019s on the Ballot? Every Texan\u2019s Take on the 2025 Constitutional<\/a><br \/>Amendments<\/li>\n<li>Houston Chronicle &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.houstonchronicle.com\/politics\/texas\/article\/texas-constitutional-amendment-election-21041329.php\">Texas constitutional amendments: What you need to know<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/acrobat.adobe.com\/id\/urn:aaid:sc:US:30629c54-8610-4563-9bed-6702b70fabf3?x_api_client_id=edge_extension_viewer&amp;x_api_client_location=share\">League of Women Voters\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li>LoneStar Left &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lonestarleft.com\/p\/texas-2025-constitutional-amendments\">Texas 2025 Constitutional Amendments Ballot Guide And Vote<\/a><br \/>Recommendations<\/li>\n<li>Texas Policy Research &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texaspolicyresearch.com\/texas-2025-constitutional-amendments-explained-ballot-guide-vote-recommendations\/\">Texas 2025 Constitutional Amendments Explained: Ballot Guide &amp;<\/a><br \/>Vote Recommendations<\/li>\n<li>Texas Tribune &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2025\/09\/22\/texas-statewide-propositions-november-ballot-election\/\">17 statewide propositions will appear on the November ballot. Here\u2019s what Texas voters need to know.\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Who Judges the judges? &#8211; Prop 12 (Early Voting for the November 4 election starts Monday (October 20,2025). This will be our opportunity to vote on 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. That\u2019s a lot of propositions! \u00a0I am working through the list a few at a time and sharing how I plan to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":1697,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-what-im-voting-for"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1665"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1882,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1665\/revisions\/1882"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ashleybeanthornton.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}