Andrea Thompson (Republican) is running for District judge, 416th Judicial District.[/caption]Andrea Thompson
Republican
Why are you running for 416th District Judge?
I was approached by the District Judges in Collin County to leave my law practice and come serve as the District Clerk… People talk about elected office being public service and in the truest sense of that I got the literal call to service and I really see it that way... The four year’s I’ve spent in the Clerk’s Office, we went paperless. We went fully electronic [and] we had so much transformational change... When this opportunity [for District Judge] came around it felt more like the blending that was a better fit for me–the public service side of things and my legal background… It just kind of gets me back to my passion. I loved being a lawyer. I would have kept doing it had they not called me and asked me to come help the county. This is just a better fit for me of the legal side of things that I’m passionate about... I grew up here and this is my home so I’ve spent a lot of time trying to help and be part of things in the community that help make it better. I see being a judge as the best way to blend those two things. So that’s why I’m running.
Why do you believe you are qualified for this position?
First and foremost is my experience as an attorney… Over 50 percent of the cases that are filed in Collin County are in family law and it’s actually the area that’s growing at the fastest rate. It’s our biggest demographic in terms of case load that the courthouse has growing... The bulk of my law practice was in family law, so I feel like the experience that I have does gel very well with the caseload and the need that we have at the courthouse [because family law cases are] growing at the greatest rate. I think it’s important that we have people that have a family law background and not many of our judges currently sitting on the bench do.
Daniel Correa (Libertarian) is running for 416th Judicial District Judge.[/caption]Daniel R. Correa
Libertarian
Why are you running for 416th District Judge?
I am running for 416th District Judge for three reasons: (1) Collin County needs judges experienced in civil/commercial litigation, as our county is a growing business hub; (2) The judiciary plays a primary role in development of law, which requires voters to pay attention to their judges, which is often difficult in uncontested seats; and (3) Collin County needs judges firmly committed to affirming and upholding individual rights and liberties.
This is my first time running for judge. I am running now because I want people to pay attention to the judiciary. When judges do not correctly apply the law, there are dire effects. If it is a criminal case, it means someone will wrongly be deprived of liberty. If it is a civil case, it may mean that someone is paying a judgment he or she should not be paying, or someone who is entitled to remuneration is not getting paid. Also, with civil cases, misapplying the law and wrongfully imposing judgments on businesses increase the costs of goods and services for everyone, and when insurance companies pay the judgment, it affects everybody’s premiums.
Why do you believe you are qualified for this position?
I am qualified for this position because I have a passion for law. I am committed to fulfilling rule of law objectives: consistency, prospectivity, predictability, and systematicity. I graduated first in my law school class from Oklahoma City University School of Law and earned an advanced law degree from New York University School of Law. And, I am an experienced civil litigator who has worked on many multi-million dollar suits and I often work on complicated commercial matters.
