215th District Court Judge Race in Harris County, Texas Incumbent Levi Benton v. Steven Kirkland

Houston Opinions Harris County Civil District Courts and Judges (Non-family)

11         Judge Mark Davidson   55         Judge Jeff Shadwick (new) 55         Judge Jeff Brown (formerly) 61         Judge John Donovan 80         Judge Lynn Bradshaw-Hull 113         Judge Patricia Hancock 125         Judge John Coselli 127         Judge Sharolyn Wood 129         Judge Grant Dorfman 133         Judge Lamar McCorkle 151         Judge Caroline E. Baker 152         Judge Kenneth Wise 157         Judge Randall Wilson 164         Judge Martha Hill Jamison 165         Judge Elizabeth Ray 189         Judge Bill Burke 190         Hon. Jennifer W. Elrod (formerly) 190         Judge Patricia Kerrigan (new) 215         Judge Levi Benton 234         Judge Reece Rondon 269         Judge John T. Wooldridge 270         Judge Brent Gamble 280         Judge Tony Lindsay 281         Judge David J. Bernal 295         Judge Tracy E. Christopher 333         Judge Joseph James Halbach Jr. 334         Judge Sharon McCally

THE INCUMBENT (no message)	THE CHALLENGER IN HIS OWN WORDS
[Visible but keeping mum - and letting the record speak for itself?]	Steven E. Kirkland, Democrat I have six years judicial experience, seventeen years legal experience, both as plaintiff and defendant, which gives me the unique perspective to be a balanced and fair. After leaving Texaco, I had my own practice before becoming a Municipal Judge. BA from Rice, JD from University of Houston.
WHEN SHOULD A JUDGE RECUSE?	WHEN SHOULD A JUDGE RECUSE?
Levi J. Benton, Republican – No response received by League of Women Voters Source: LWV Voters Guide: Question to candidates	The issue is fairness, in fact and in perception. The law sets out minimum standards requiring recusal when the Judge has a close personal, family or business relationship with any of the litigants. Beyond that, the Judge should recuse if the Judge believes he cannot be fair or if presiding over a case creates the appearance of impropriety.
	Source: League of Women Voters Guide: Candidate Q&A
More on the incumbents from the Harris County GOP judicial re-election campaign web site: Keep our Judges dot com (Levi Benton omitted)	More on this candidate form the Harris County Democratice Party judicial elections campaign web site: Judges for All dot com

Hon. Levi Benton - Recent Appeals from the 215th District Court Judge in Harris County, Texas