[00:00:09]
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. THE TIME IS 2:02 P.M. ON MAY 27.
AND THE MEETING OF THE MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL.
>> CHAIR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WONDERFUL, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THROUGH ALL 23 INTERVIEWS, I BELIEVE IT IS. FIRST ITEM, THOUGH, ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 25TH, 2026.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. >> SECOND.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
ITEM 2 IS CONSIDERATION OF APPLICANTS FOR MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE.
THERE ARE 10 FULL-TIME AND 12 PART-TIME POSITIONS TO FILL.
ALL 10 JUDGES DID APPLY FOR REAPPOINTMENT AND OTHER JUDGES APPLIED FOR APPLICATION. DURING THE INTERVIEW PROCESS WE'LL SEEK TO ESTABLISH IF THE APPLICANTS MEET THE STATUTORY AND QUALIFICATIONS FOR MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE.
CALL JUDGES' TERMS EXPIRE APRIL 30TH, 2026 AND THEY SERVE IN A HOLDOVER CAPACITY UNTIL THE APPOINTMENTS ARE BEFORE THE FULL COUNCIL. THE TERMS OF THE NEW SLATE WILL BE APRIL 28, 2028. FOLLOWING OUR REVIEW IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE WILL RECONVENE AND PROPOSE FOR A FULL SLATE FOR THE FULL COUNCIL TO ACT UPON AT AN A SESSION. EVERY CANDIDATE WILL HAVE FOUR MINUTES FOR AN OPENING STATEMENT AND THEN -- TWO MINUTES FOR OPENING STATEMENT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR EACH OF THE APPLICANTS. WHO DO WE HAVE --
>> GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR, COMMITTEE MEMBERS. AS YOU MENTIONED THERE ARE 10 FULL-TIME JUDGES, FUNDING FOR 10 FULL-TIME JUDGES AND 10 PART-TIME JUDGES.
WE DO HAVE A SCHEDULE FOR THE JUDGES, HOWEVER I DO STILL HAVE SOME JUDGES BACK RUNNING COURT SO WE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER. WILL WE BE BREAKING INTO
EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONDUCT THE INTERVIEWS? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WE WILL HAVE INTERVIEWS IN OPEN SESSION, BUT I WILL ASK ALL OTHER APPLICANTS ASIDE FROM THE APPLICANT BEING INTERVIEWED TO GO INTO THE PRESIDIO ROOM.
>> OKAY. WE'LL NEED TO GO GET YOUR BINDERS WITH THE APPLICATION AND RESUMES. WE PUT THEM IN THE OTHER ROOM.
WE'LL GO GET THOSE, THANK YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: IF ALL APPLICANTS WOULDN'T MIND STEPPING OUT AS WELL.
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>> ARE YOU READY TO GET STARTED THEN? WE'RE GOING TO STEP OUT
THEN. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: GOOD AFTERNOON JUDGE BELL.
WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH TWO-MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT AND THEN WE'LL
HAVE ONE QUESTION AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO ANSWER. >> I'LL TRY TO GIVE YOU SOME TIME BACK. MY NAME IS JUDGE KENNETH BELL.
I'M A CITY OF SAN ANTONIO MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE. I'VE BEEN ON THE FULL-TIME LIST SINCE 2022. I STARTED AS A PART-TIMER IN 2018.
AND I ENJOY IT A LOT. WE STAY BUSY OVER AT THE COURT.
I'M HOPING TO REUP THE APPOINTMENT. AND CONTINUE THE WORK THAT WE DO. I THINK YOU ALREADY HAVE THE SNAPSHOT, BUT THE COURT I DEAL WITH PRIMARILY MOST OF THE ONLINE DOCKETS. THOSE ARE ALL MY DOCKETS AS WELL AS I SUPPORT ALL OF THE TRIAL DOCKETS. SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT MY SNAPSHOT, YOU'LL SEE THAT I HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS, TRIALS, PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THE COURTS OVER AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT I HAVE HAD A HAND IN AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER. AND I ENJOY THAT FACT. OTHER THAN THAT I'M A SAN ANTONIO-RAISED MAN. I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD AND BEEN HERE EVER SINCE. I GRADUATED FROM JAMES MADISON.
I LEFT TO GET MY DEGREE IN THEORETICAL. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: AND THEN CAME BACK TO ST. MARY'S FOR LAW SCHOOL. I'VE BEEN PRACTICING EVER SINCE. I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA.
>> H■OWDO YOUMANAGEA HIGH VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT?
>> YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO RESEARCH AND FIND THE INFORMATION TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT TRANSLATES CURRENTLY INTO THE CLE'S. YOU DO REAL-TIME UPDATES ON ALL THE AREAS OF LAW. IT'S AN INTERESTING ISSUE WITH MUNICIPAL COURT BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS OF LAW AND YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER WHEN DOING YOUR CLES I DO EXTRA TRAINING THROUGH THE BAR COLLEGE, THROUGH THE STATE BAR, AS WELL JUST TO MAKE SURE I'M ON TOP OF APPROXIMATE MY ISSUES THAT COULD ARISE.
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I SPEND LESS TIME RESEARCHING, MORE TIME MAKING THE DECISIONS ANDFLUSHING OUT THE ISSUES. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK Y'ALL. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: GOOD AFTERNOON JUDGE CASTILLO. WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU. WE'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR OPENING STATEMENT AND THEN ONE QUESTION THAT YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO ANSWER.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW.
MY NAME IS MELANIE CASTILLO AND I CURRENTLY SERVE AS ONE OF YOUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES. I STARTED MY SERVICE WITH THE COURT IN 2017 AS A PART-TIME EVENING AND WEEKEND JUDGE, SO I DID THAT BECAUSE I WAS TRANSITIONING FROM OR WANTING TO TRANSITION FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR INTO PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND I THOUGHT WHAT A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY ALL OF THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE I HAD GAINED AS A PRACTICING ATTORNEY. MY NEW INTEREST IN SERVING A ROLE IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND FIGURING OUT WHERE MY PLACE WAS AS A MAGISTRATE IN THAT SYSTEM. I DID THAT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS WORKING EVENINGS, WEEKENDS, SNOW ME GO AHEAD DON, CHRISTMAS, EVERYTHING SHOWED MY COMMITMENT TO THE COURT AND I WAS REAPPOINTED IN 2020 TO SERVE AS A FULL-TIME MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE, THEN MY ROLE TRANSITIONED TO THE OVERNIGHT MAG JUDGE OR MAGISTRATE JUDGE. I DID THAT FOR TWO YEARS, CONTINUED TO LEARN AND GROW WITH THE COURT. AND IN 2022 TRANSITIONED OVER TO THE MUNICIPAL COURT SIDE OF THINGS WHERE I KNOW OVERSEE THE TRIAL DOCKET. VERY PROUD THAT WE WENT FROM UTILIZING TWO COURTROOMS TO HOLD ALL OF OUR TRIAL AND PRETRIAL SETTINGS FOR TRAFFIC TRIALS, WE NOW ONLY USE THE COURT THAT I PRESIDE OVER, WHICH IS COURT 5.
WE'VE STREAMLINED OUR PROCESSES, WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE THE TRIAL PROCESS VERY EFFICIENT FOR THE CITIZENS THAT COME BEFORE US.
I ALSO OVERSEE A MINOR DOCKET ON FRIDAYS SO ANY MINOR WITH A TRAFFIC-RELATED OFFENSE. AND NOW I DO IT MULTIPLE TIMES A MONTH BECAUSE IT'S A HUGE ASSET FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO APPEAR VIRTUALLY TO THE COURT.
SOME OF THE PERKS I THINK OF MY JOB ARE I ALSO GET TO BE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY IN OTHER WAYS. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM MY JUDICIAL REPORT, I VOLUNTEER FOR ALMOST EVERY CAREER DAY, HIGH SCHOOL OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH ABOUT SAFE DRIVING.
JUDGE BELL AND I COORDINATED THE FIRST EVER MUNICIPAL COURT MOCK TRIAL THIS PAST -- THIS MONTH ACTUALLY AND WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A COUPLE OF OUR
COUNCIL MEMBERS PARTICIPATE AND REALLY ENJOY THAT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK
YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH A TEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A
HIGH VOLUME DOCKET IN MUNICIPAL COURT. >> TEAMWORK, RELYING ON MY AMAZING TEAM. I COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF OUR COURT CLERKS, BOTH THE CLERKS IN COURT 5, ROBERT AND STEPHANIE, HELP US REALLY COMMUNICATE WITH BOTH THE STATE AND DEFENDS THAT APPEAR BEFORE US.
THEY KEEP ME INCREDIBLY ORGANIZED AND TRULY I THINK THAT COURT 5 AND THE COURT IN GENERAL RUN SMOOTHLY BECAUSE WE HAVE A WONDERFUL TEAM.
SO REALLY RELYING ON THEIR EXPERTISE AND THEIR ABILITY TO UTILIZE THE SYSTEMS THAT
WE HAVE IN PLACE TO KEEP THE COURT RUNNING EFFICIENTLY. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK
YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE EFFICIENT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE. WE'LL START OFF WITH A QUICK INTRO, WHY YOU'RE SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A TWO-MINUTE QUESTION FOR YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. I AM CLARISSA CALF VAIR I CAN'T AND I'VE BEEN YOUR MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE FOR AT LEAST THE LAST 15, GOING ON 16 YEARS. I DO APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY AGAIN TO INTERVIEW FOR THIS POSITION. IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT POSITION FOR ME BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE I GET TO TALK TO DAILY. I THINK THAT'S THE BEST PART OF THE JOB. NOW, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 2010.
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ORIGINALLY I WAS APPOINTED TO PRESIDE OVER THE JUVENILE COURT DEPARTMENT OR SECTION OF OUR COURT AND AT THAT TIME ALL OF THE CASES AGAINST THE KIDDOS WERE PUNITIVE. THEY'RE STILL CRIMINAL, BUT THEY WERE PUNITIVE IN NATURE SO THERE WEREN'T ANY DIVERSION PROCESSES. AND MOST OF THESE CASES WERE DOUBLES OR TRIP LA INDICATES OF CASES WE SAW IN JV COURT SO THEY WERE FILING IN OUR COURTS AND ALSO OTHER COURTS FOR THE SAME VIOLATION SO THAT'S WHEN WE WERE SEEING THAT. IN 2014 THE LAW CHANGED SO THAT WE HAD ONE CENTRALIZED BEXAR COUNTY DOCKET AND I THANKFULLY WAS A PART OF THAT.AGAIN, WE HAD ANOTHER CHANGE IN 2015 FORMALLY AND THEN ANOTHER CHANGE AGAIN FOR 2025. SO I DO WANT TO CONTINUE DOING THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES WITH THIS NEW DIVERSION PROCESS TO INCLUDE A LOT OF THESE COMMUNITY INITIATIVES THAT I KNOW THAT IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE COUNCIL AND TO OUR CITY. AND THESE ARE YOUNG MINDS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS A LOT OF OUR ATTENTION TO AND ALSO THE PARENTS. SO I THINK I'M GOING ON TO A DIFFERENT SUBJECT. BEFORE THAT I WAS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AND BEFORE THAT A TOTALLY DIFFERENT TYPE OF LAW WITH A CIVIL LITIGATION FIRM WHERE I WAS THERE FOR ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AND WE DID A LOT OF CROSS-COUNTRY, MULTIPLE-STATE, CLASS ACTION.
IT WAS A LOT OF READING AND WRITING AND PRESENTING IN FRONT OF DIFFERENT COURTS.
BUT THAT'S THE EXTENT OF MY LEGAL HISTORY. I THINK THAT MY TWO MINUTES
IS UP. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK
YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A
HIGH-VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT? >> I THINK THAT THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME. SO I KNOW THAT A LOT OF TIMES WE GO VERY QUICKLY, BUT I FEEL IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AT LEAST AT THE -- FOR THE PARENTS ESPECIALLY AND THE KIDS TO UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE THERE, WHAT THEY'RE THERE FOR, AND WHAT TO EXPECT. SO WHEN I DO A DOCKET IN FRONT OF THE JUVENILES AND THE KIDS, I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THEM AS A GROUP.
I'LL EXPLAIN THEIR RIGHTS AND OPTIONS. IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I ENCOURAGE THEM TO ASK. I DO TELL THEM THAT THIS IS AN EDUCATIONAL PROCESS, THIS IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE, PLEASE USE THIS TIME TO ASK ME.
I WANT TO BE RELATABLE, PROFESSIONAL. SO THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO APPROACH AN ASK-ME QUESTIONS SO THEY DON'T WALK OUT THINKING WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO ME? IN THE TRAFFIC COURT SETTING WITH THE ADULTS IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE HAD THEM COME IN ONE AT A TIME.
EACH OF THOSE PERSONS ARE KIND OF GETTING AN OPPORTUNITY VERY QUICKLY TO KNOW WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE AND I'LL EXPLAIN AND TRY TO EXPAND IF THEY NEED THAT EXPLANATION. SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT ON HOW I TREAT THEM, BUT I REALLY WANT THOSE KIDS AND THE PARENTS TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON AND
WHAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR HAND WHEN THEY LEAVE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S ALL. WE'RE QUICK.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU AGAIN. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES -- IT WILL FEEL VERY FAST. IT'S SUPPOSED TO FEEL THAT WAY. YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU AND YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND.
>> THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE FOR HAVING US TODAY. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO YOU ONE-ON-ONE. A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT MYSELF, I'VE BEEN LICENSED FOR 30 YEARS. I'VE BEEN ON THE BENCH FOR 23 OF THOSE YEARS.
I BEGAN MY JUDICIAL CAREER IN 2003 WHEN I WAS APPOINTED AS A MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE AND MAGISTRATE. IN 2005 I SEGUED INTO A POSITION THAT OVERSAW CRIMINAL CASES AND I STAYED IN THAT POSITION FOR 13 YEARS.
I WAS APPOINTED TO THIS BENCH FOUR YEARS AGO. MY PHILOSOPHY IS SIMPLE.
IT'S SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED WHILE BALANCING IT WITH CONTEXT AND SAFETY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
ME. SO I'M READY. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK
YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA? >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE EFFICIENCY WHEN MANAGING A HIGH VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT?
>> I THINK FIRST OF ALL I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO BE EFFICIENT WHEN IF COMES TO MOVING OUR DOCKETS. I FIRMLY BELIEVE IN BEING PREPARED, BEING PUNCTUAL, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF IT. AND BEING ABLE TO MOVE
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CASES. KEEP IN MIND THAT IN ARRAIGNMENT COURT I DON'T KNOW IF MANY OF YOU HAVE VISITED OUT ARRAIGNMENT COURT IS.IT'S A HIGH VOLUME, FAST DOCKETS. IT'S GOT TO BE A VERY THOUGHTOUT, CONSCIENTIOUS BALANCE OF BEING ABLE TO LISTEN TO CITIZENS WHO FEEL THAT SOMETIMES THEY'RE BEING WRONGED AND WE'RE GIVING THEM THEIR FORUM AND THEIR TIME TO BE ABLE TO SAY HEY, THESE ARE MY CONCERNS ABOUT MY TICKET, THESE ARE MY FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS. AND AT THE SAME TIME MAKING THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
SO I TEND TO ALWAYS BE COGNIZANT OF PEOPLE'S TIMES, WHETHER IT'S DEFENDANT'S TIME, AN ATTORNEY'S TIME. I AM NOT ONE TO SHY AWAY WHEN THE DOCKETS GET BIG THAT I ASK FOR HELP FROM OTHER JUDGES BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE WORK WITH EACH OTHER. I KNOW WHEN I'M IN MY OFFICE DOING MY RESEARCH AND THERE'S A JUDGE ON THE BUSY DOCKETS, WHICH ARE USUALLY THE MORNING DOCKETS, I OPEN UP THAT DOCKET AND I'M MONITORING TO SEE IF YOU GET ONE -- ONCE YOU GET TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CASES IN THE JUDGES' QUEUE THAT USUALLY GETS ME TO GO OUT THERE AND HELP TO ALLEVIATE THE DOCKET. I'M ALWAYS COGNIZANT OF TIME
AND THE CONSTRAINTS WE HAVE BECAUSE IT IS HIGH VOLUME. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES THE INTERVIEW.
>> WOW. THAT WAS FAST. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I TOLD
YOU. >> THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. YOU HAVE A NICE AFTERNOON.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. YOU AND WELL.
GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >> FOR HAVING ME.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR OPENING STATEMENT AND THEN WE HAVE ONE QUESTION AND YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO ANSWER.
IT WILL FEEL VERY FAST: >> I UNDERSTAND, MY NAME IS JUDGE DAN GUERRERO.
I GRADUATED FROM ST. MARY'S LAW SCHOOL IN 1998. I HAVE LIVED IN SAN ANTONIO SINCE 1985. AFTER LAW SCHOOL I PRACTICED PRIVACY.
I PRACTICED CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAW. IN 1997 I WAS APPOINTED TO BE A PART-TIME MAGISTRATE. I SERVED IN THAT CAPACITY UNTIL 2001.
IN 2001 I BECAME A FULL-TIME JUDGE AND HAVE BEEN A FULL-TIME JUDGE SINCE THEN.
I THINK MY OBJECTIVE IN SERVING ON THE BENCH HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO TRY TO BALANCE THE SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY WITH THE DUE PROCESS RIGHTS OF THE DEFENDANTS THAT APPEAR BEFORE ME. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN AN OBJECTIVE OF MINE TO BE REMINDED THAT I HAVE A DUTY TO THE LAW.
I HAVE A DUTY TO FAIRNESS AND I HAVE A DUTY TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. I THINK THE WAY YOU ACCOMPLISH THAT IS BY BEING -- ALWAYS BEING INFORMED, BEING PREPARED AND ALWAYS HAVING THE TEMPERAMENT THAT INSPIRES CONFIDENCE IN THE PROCESS. SO THOSE HAVE BEEN MY OBJECTIVES AND HAVE BEEN WHAT GUIDES ME AS A JUDGE OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA?
>> MUNGIA: YES. HOW DO YOU BALANCE OFFICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A HIGH VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT?
>> I THINK, COUNCILMAN, IS IT ALWAYS COMES BACK TO THE SAME THING.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR JUDGES TO BE PREPARED BY BEING INFORMED, BEING UP ON THE LAW AND ALWAYS UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PEOPLE WHO APPEAR BEFORE YOU ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIFE PROBLEMS AND THEY ARE -- NEED TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT. AND JUDGES NEED TO BE REMINDED THAT YOUR TEMPERAMENT ALWAYS NEEDS TO BE SUCH THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE THERE, NO MATTER THE RESULT, THAT THEY FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEY'VE BEEN HEARD, THAT THEY'VE HAD A FARADAY IN COURT AND THAT THAT CONTINUES TO INSTILL CONFIDENCE IN THE PROCESS.
AND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I THINK IF YOU BEAR THOSE THINGS IN MIND YOU'RE ABLE TO ALWAYS SORT OF GET TO A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THAT AND STILL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE PROCESS.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES THE
INTERVIEW. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR OPENING STATEMENT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ONE QUESTION WITH --E TWO MINUTES TO ANSWER. IT'S GOING TO FEEL EXTREMELY FAST.
>> OKAY. MY NAME IS CHERYL MENDOZA. I'M ONE OF THE MAGISTRATE
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COURT JUDGES HERE AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT. I'VE BEEN WITH THE MUNICIPAL COURT FOR FOUR YEARS NOW. AND I HAVE AN UNDERGRADUATE IN A BACHELOR'S OF SCIENCE DEGREE AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. AFTER WORKING FOR THE UNITED STATES ARMY AS A GOVERNMENT CIVILIAN AND DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN, I CAME BACK TO TEXAS AND PURSUED A LAW DEGREE AT ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY. I WORKED IN THE OIL AND GAS FIELD, AND THEN HAVE JUST BEEN DOING THIS PART-TIME AND SPENDING TIME WITH MY FAMILY, JUST BALANCING THAT WORK-LIFE CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW.I'M REALLY HONORED TO BE A PART OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT TEAM.
AGAIN, I SAID I WORK AT THE MAGISTRATE DEPARTMENT. I BASICALLY -- TYPICALLY DO OVERNIGHT SHIFTS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND INCLUDING LAST NIGHT FROM 8:00 TO 6:00 AND TONIGHT FROM 8:00 TO 6:00, SO I'LL KEEP THIS SHORT THAT WAY Y'ALL CAN CONTINUE WITH YOUR WORK AND I CAN GET SOME
SLEEP. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU. HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL
>> BALANCING OFFICIAL EFFICIENCY? MY DEPARTMENT THAT I'M WORKING WITH IN THE MAGISTRATE COURT, YOU KNOW, I JUST GO WITH THE BASIC JUDICIAL RULES OF FINDING PROBABLE CAUSE FOR ALL THE CHARGES THAT COME FORWARD.
I DON'T TRY AND OVERSTEP MY AUTHORITY OR DO ANY MORE COUNSELING THAN I NEED TO.
JUST TRYING TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS. SO I BASICALLY STICK TO A SCRIPT OF INFORMING THE DEFENDANTS OF THEIR RIGHTS AND OF THEIR CHARGES I DO SHOW COMPASSION WHERE I CAN, BUT IN ORDER TO BE EFFICIENT I FIND THE BEST WAY IS TO KEEP WITH INFORMING THEM OF THEIR CHARGES AND INFORMING THEM OF THEIR RIGHTS, AND GETTING THEM ON TO COUNTY, WHICH IS WHERE BOND WILL BE SET, AND THE PROCESS
CONTINUES FROM THERE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THAT CONCLUDES THE INTERVIEW. >> THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR YOUR OPENING STATEMENT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU THAT YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO ANSWER.
IT'S GOING TO FEEL VERY FAST. >> YES, SIR, THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS DAN GUZMAN AND I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR 25 YEARS. FIVE AS A PROSECUTOR AND THE LAST 20 AS A JUDGE. DURING THAT TIME AT THE COURT I'VE COVERED EVERY DOCKET AND I LOVE WHAT I DO. I LOVE COMING TO WORK EVERYDAY.
SOME OF THE THINGS I'M MOST PROUD OF IN COURT IS I WAS ASKED TO ACT AS FORMER PRESIDING JUDGE BY THE FORMER PRESIDING JUDGE JOHN BELL.
I CREATED A TRAINING MANUAL FOR THE OPERATING SYSTEM AND I TRAIN ALL THE NEW JUDGES IN THE OPERATING SYSTEM. DURING THE PANDEMIC JUDGE MOORE AND I CREATED A PROCESS FOR HANDLING CASES REMOTELY FOR COVID AND WE BOTH CAME TO THE BUILDING EVERYDAY AND HANDLED CASES IN OUR OFFICE. I WAS THE ONLY JUDGE TO SERVE AT THE COURT [INDISCERNIBLE] WHEN WE HAD THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
I HELPED IMPLEMENT THE ORIGINAL KIOSK SYSTEM. I HAVE A HIGH CASE VOLUME AND HIGH CASE CLOSURE RATE. I GET AT COURT EVERYDAY AT 5:00 A.M. AND ALWAYS THERE TO HELP IN ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE COVERED. MY PRIMARY CURRENT RESPONSIBILITIES ARE THE SA ROAD READY DOCKET. THIS IS A DOCKET DESIGNED TO HELP 17 TO 24-YEAR-OLDS OBTAIN THEIR LICENSE. IN THE PAST 22 MONTHS WE'VE HELPED APPROXIMATELY 1200 YOUNG PEOPLE OBTAIN THEIR LICENSE.
MY FAVORITE PART OF THIS DOCKET I ALSO HAVE A DAILY SLOT AND ARRAIGNMENT, USUALLY A THREE-HOUR SLOT.
THIS IS MY FAVORITE DOCKET BECAUSE IT'S HIGH VOLUME AND FAST PACED.
FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS I'VE BEEN COVERING THE SIX TO EIGHT A.M. MAGISTRATE SHIFT TO REDUCE THE MONEY SPENT ON PART-TIME JUDGES SO IN MY ESTIMATE WE SAVE THE CITY ABOUT $40,000. IN CONCLUSION I LOVE WHAT I DO.
I LOVE GETTING UP EVERY MORNING. I NEVER DREAD IT.
I'M A HARD WORKER, I GET TO THE COURT EVERYDAY AT 5:00 A.M.
I'M THERE NINE HOURS A DAY. I TYPICALLY DON'T GO TO CLUNCH.
I MAKE IT KNOWN TO THE STAFF THAT I'M THERE IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE.
I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A POSITION OF PUBLIC TRUST AND RESPONSIBILITY.
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I TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY. I INVITE YOU TO COME TO THE COURTNEY TIME.I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO SERVE.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA?
>> MUNGIA: HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THOROUGHNESS WHEN
BALANCING A HIGH VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT? >> IT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. MOST PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE WITH THE COURT SYSTEM IS THAT MUNICIPAL COURT JUSTICE OF THE PEACE COURT, OVER 70%.
IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME IN COURT, THEY'RE NERVOUS AND SCARED AND THEY'RE EXPECTING A JUDGE JUDY EXPERIENCE SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BE FAIR, FAST AND EFFICIENT, MAKE SURE PEOPLE GET HEARD AND INDIVIDUAL CASES GET INDIVIDUAL JUSTICE.
A LOT OF THAT COMES THROUGH TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE. SINCE I TRAIN MOST OF THE JUDGES I HONESTLY FEEL IT TAKES ABOUT FIVE YEARS FOR A JUDGE TO BE AT THE POINT WHERE THEY CAN LEARN CLASS C, LEARN MAGISTRATION, LEARN THE OPERATING SYSTEM, YOU CAN LEAVE THEM ALONE AND THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
SO WHEN YOU DO START A DOCKET THAT'S WHY A LOT OF TIMES WE FIND THE DOCKETS WE LIKE AND THE JUDGE TRIES TO MATCH US UP WITH THE DOCKETS WE LIKE SO THEN YOU CAN BECOME A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT IN THOSE AREAS. SOMETIMES WE'RE ASKED TO COVER OTHER DOCKETS THAT WE DON'T COVER THAT OFTEN AND THAT'S WHEN YOU CAN GO TO THE OTHER JUDGES AND GET A REFRESHER COURT. BUT FOR THE MOST PART WHEN YOU'VE BEEN THERE AWHILE YOU LEARN ABOUT EVERYTHING. WE HAVE OUR CONTINUING EDUCATION SEMINARS. THE MAIN THING IS AT THIS LEVEL MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE HEARD. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE SOFT OR HARD, BUT JUST A CHANCE TO BE HEARD. 99.9% OF THE PEOPLE IF YOU GIVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY, WHATEVER RESOLUTION YOU COME TO THEY WILL BE HAPPY TO HAVE A CHANCE FOR THEIR
VOICE TO BE HEARD. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT CONCLUDES THE INTERVIEW. >> THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE IT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >> THANK YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR OPENING STATEMENT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO ANSWER THAT. IT WILL FEEL VERY FAST.
>> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MY NAME IS JUDGE GONZÁLEZ, LISA GONZÁLEZ. I'M CURRENTLY A JUDGE AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
AS YOU GUYS CAN SEE FROM MY STAT SHEET, I AM LIKE THE PINCH HITTER FOR THAT COURT.
I DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT DOCKETS. I DO A LOT OF THE HARD DOCKETS THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO DO. BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY IN DIFFERENT WAYS. I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 1, GREW UP IN DISTRICT 3, PART-TIME RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 3 BECAUSE I STAY THERE AND HELP WITH MY DAD, SO MY HUSBAND IS AN SAISD TEACHER.
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME. ABOUT MY DOCKETS, LIKE I SAID I DO DIFFICULT DOCKETS, I DO THE ANIMAL DOCKET, I DO THE DPS SUSPENSION HEARING DOCKETS, I DO THE QUALITY OF LIFE DOCKET, LICENSE AND WEIGHT, WHICH ARE THE 18-WHEELER TRUCKS THAT VIOLATE THE LAWS. AND THOSE ARE BIG -- THOSE ARE BIG TICKET, BIG MONEY ITEMS. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DRIVERS ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT. I ALSO DO SOME OF THE TRAFFIC. WE DO REGULAR MAGISTRATION SCHEDULES, ROTATING SCHEDULES. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I DO WITH THE COURT.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA.
>> MUNGIA: THANK YOU. HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A HIGH VOLUME DOCKET AT A MUNICIPAL COURT?
>> WELL, WE DO TRAINING WITH TMCC, TEXAS MUNICIPAL EDUCATION.
WE DO THAT ANNUALLY. WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO 16 HOURS OF THAT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I DO STAY CURRENT ON ALL OF THE LAWS, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT AFFECT THE DOCKETS THAT I WORK IN. I WORKED IN CITY GOVERNMENT SINCE 2002 SO I'VE BEEN GOING TO TMEC SINCE 2002, 2003, SO I WAS FAMILIAR BEFORE BECOMING A JUDGE AT MUNICIPAL COURT. SO I'M USED TO TMEC, KEEP UP WITH THEM, DO EXTRA TRAINING WITH THEM. WHEN I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FREE TIME I HAVE THAT IN THE BACKGROUND WHEN I'M DOING MY QUEUES, WARRANTS, THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT'S HOW I STAY UPDATED ON EVERYTHING.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES THE
INTERVIEW. >> OH, OKAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, JUDGE.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OKAY.
[00:35:01]
WE'LL START OFF WITH A QUICK TWO-MINUTE INTRODUCTION AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ONE QUESTION AND YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND TO THE QUESTION, AND IT WILL FEELVERY FAST. >> OKAY. MY NAME IS MARGARITA POL.
I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING MUNICIPAL COURT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO FOR 10 YEARS NOW. I AM PRIMARILY ASSIGNED TO THE ASSAULT COURT.
I'VE BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE ASSAULT COURT SINCE 2019 RIGHT BEFORE COVID.
PRIOR TO THAT I WAS IN THE WARRANT RESOLUTION COURT. OF COURSE I DO RECOGNITIONS IN ARRAIGNMENT COURT AND ALL OF OUR OTHER SPECIALTY COURTS.
WE ALL COVER FOR EACH OTHER WHEN NEEDED. SO I'VE DONE SHIFTS IN EVERY SINGLE COURT. I DO REGULAR ROTATIONS IN THE MAGISTRATE'S OFFICE, INCLUDING THE OVERNIGHT SHIFT AND THE EVENING SHIFT. PRIOR TO WORKING FOR MUNICIPAL COURT I WAS A PROSECUTOR FOR 14 YEARS. ABOUT 12 OF THOSE YEARS I WAS FIRST CHAIR FELONY PROSECUTOR. I SERVED THE 81ST, 218 JUDICIAL DISTRICT. I WAS A DRUG FORCE PROSECUTOR AS WELL AS JUST THE REGULAR DOCKET, WHICH INCLUDE -- WE WERE A SMALL OFFICE SO WE DID EVERYTHING FROM INTAKE, GRAND JURY INVESTIGATIONS WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, ALL THE WAY THROUGH APPEALS. SO I HAVE A LOT OF CRIMINAL LAW EXPERIENCE.
I LOVE MY JOB. I LOVE BEING A CIVIL SERVANT AND SERVING THE PUBLIC.
I WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. IN MY FREE TIME I AM THE MOTHER OF TWO COLLEGE STUDENTS, SO I HAVE A LOT MORE FREE TIME THAN I USED TO. I AM A -- I FOSTER DOGS. I'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR ABOUT NINE YEARS NOW. I DO THAT FOR TRACY'S PAWS RESCUE.
AND I FOSTERED OVER 20 DOGS IN THAT TIME. I USED TO BE VERY ACTIVE IN MY DAUGHTER'S HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND PROGRAM, SO SHE GRADUATED LAST YEAR SO NOW I'M TRYING TO FILL THAT FREE TIME WITH OTHER THINGS AND I'M STILL KIND OF FIGURING OUT THAT THAT ROLE OF NOT BEING A FULL-TIME PARENT AS MUCH ANYMORE.
SO THAT'S ME IN A NUTSHELL. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A
HIGH VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT? >> WE ARE A -- WE HAVE A SMOOTH OPERATING PROCESS. WE'RE A WELL-OILED MACHINE IN COURT 7.
SO WHEN I TOOK OVER COURT 7 BACK IN 2019, THERE WERE HUNDREDS.
I THINK IT WAS OVER 500 CASES PENDING JURY TRIAL. SO WHAT I HAD TO DO FIRST OF ALL WHEN I TOOK OVER THAT DOCKET IS FIGURE OUT HOW THINGS WERE BEING DONE.
WHAT THEIR PROCESS WAS, WHAT WAS WORKING, WHAT WASN'T WORKING, AND KIND OF REFINE THAT WITH THE EXPERIENCE THAT I HAD WORKING WITH FELONY DOCKETS IN OTHER COURTS. I KIND OF SET UP THE SAME PROCESS.
SO WE HAVE AN ARRAIGNMENT DOCKET WHERE THEY COME IN AND WE HAVE VERY SPECIFIC PROCEDURES FOR THAT. AND THEN IT MOVES TO A ZOOM PRETRIAL CONFERENCE, VERY SPECIFIC GUIDELINES FOR THAT. AND FROM THERE THEY GO TO A DOCKET CALL OR A NON-JURY TRIAL IF THAT'S WHAT THEY CHOOSE.
IF THEY CHOOSE THE JURY IT WILL BE DOCKET CALLED JURY TRIAL.
WE'RE MOVING THEM THROUGH QUICKLY BUT THEY HAVE ENOUGH TRIAL SETTINGS THAT -- I SHOULD SAY COURT APPEARANCES BY VIRTUAL AND NON-VIRTUAL, WHERE WE CAN RESOLVE DISCOVERY MATTERS, ANY SORT OF MOTIONS. IF SOMEBODY NEEDS MOTIONS HEARD WE GET THOSE HEARD ON MONDAY AFTERNOONS. WE ALSO -- BECAUSE WE HAVE A COURT REPORTER. ALSO DO OUR NON-JURY DOCKETS ON MONDAY AFTERNOON.
SO WE HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC SCHEDULE. WE HAVE JURY TRIALS ONCE A MONTH. WE HAVE NON-JURY TRIALS EVERY MONDAY AFTERNOON.
WE HAVE OUR ZOOM DOCKETS EVERY MONDAY BEFORE LUNCH. AND COURT'S NOT VERY LENIENT WITH CONTINUANCES. WE HAVE TO KEEP THINGS MOVING.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD REASON TO DRAG A CASE OUT. SO THAT'S HOW I GET THAT COURT BEING HIGH VOLUME, BUT ALSO A VERY WELL-BALANCED SIZE DOCKET BECAUSE THEY ARE DOWN TO 50 CASES PENDING JURY RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S UP BECAUSE FOR THE LAST YEAR IT'S BEEN RIGHT AROUND 25 CASES. SO WE'VE HAD A LITTLE SURGE BUT THAT'S BECAUSE WE'VE HAD MORE CASES FILED. YEAH.
JUST HAVING CLERKS THAT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND [BUZZER] -- THEY WORK WITH
ME AND WE'RE A TEAM. YEAH. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES THE INTERVIEW.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MS. PEREZ.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OF COURSE. WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH A QUICK TWO-MINUTE INTRODUCTION OF YOURSELF AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ONE QUESTION A COUNCILMEMBER AND YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND. IT'S GOING TO FEEL VERY FAST AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO FEEL
[00:40:04]
THAT WAY. >> OKAY. MY NAME IS ELAINA PEARSALL.
I AM AN ATTORNEY IN SAN ANTONIO. I'VE BEEN PRACTICING LAW FOR 27 YEARS. I STARTED MY PRACTICE IN BOSTON BY DEFENDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WHILE I WAS IN LAW SCHOOL, I STARTED AS A VOLUNTEER AND THEN ENDED UP ACTUALLY RUNNING THE PROGRAM AND PUBLISHING A BOOK ON THE SUBJECT.
I'VE THEN MOVED TO TEXAS, DESPITE THE FACT THAT EVERYBODY THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY, I REALLY WANTED TO MOVE TO TEXAS. SO I MOVED TO TEXAS, PASSED THE BAR, GOT A JOB AT A CRIMINAL DEFENSE FIRM IN AMARILLO.
I WORKED THERE FOR A YEAR. I VERY QUICKLY REALIZED AS MUCH AS I LIKE MY FIRM, I REALLY DISLIKED AMARILLO, SO I MOVED TO SAN ANTONIO IN 2000 AND I HAVE LIVED AND PRACTICED HERE SINCE. I MANAGE MY FIRM, I HAVE MULTIPLE ATTORNEYS AND STAFF WORKING FOR ME. I DO MULTIPLE THINGS THROUGH MY FIRM, DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE LAW, EVERYTHING FROM PRELITIGATION THROUGH TRIAL. I'M DEFINITELY A PRIMARILY A TRIAL ATTORNEY SO I'VE DONE MULTIPLE JURY TRIALS, MULTIPLE NON-JURY TRIALS, EVERY POSSIBLE MOTION IN BETWEEN. I'VE BEEN A LBSED ARBITRATOR --D ARBITRATOR SINCE 2006 AND ARBITRATED MULTIPLE CASES, LISTENED TO BOTH SIDES, AND DONE WRITTEN DECISIONS IN THOSE. I BECAME A HIGHLY COMPLEX LICENSED MEDICATOR 17 YEARS AGO AND SO I'VE MEDIATED MULTIPLE CASES SINCE AND CONTINUE TO DO THAT. I ALSO HAVE AN APPELLATE PRACTICE.
SO I'VE DONE APPEALS TO THE THIRD COURT, FOURTH COURT, SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS AS WELL AS SUPREME COURT OF UNITED STATES. I'M ALSO LICENSED THERE, SO THAT'S KIND OF A FUN PART OF MY PRACTICE. [BUZZER].
AND I'M GUESSING THAT'S TWO MINUTES. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND YOU DEFINITELY HAVE
DIVERSE EXPERIENCE. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA? >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU.
HOW WOULD YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH A NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN
MANAGING A HIGH VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT? >> SEEING THE DOCKET BEFOREHAND AND KIND OF KNOWING WHAT'S COMING. SETTING OUT EXPECTATIONS THIS THE DOCKET STARTS, EXPLAINING, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE RULES AND THESE ARE THE PROCEDURES THAT WE FOLLOW. I THINK STAFF, COURTS HAVE INCREDIBLY HELPFUL AND CAN KIND OF LEAD YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THEY MAY SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BLOW UP EVEN IF YOU DON'T.
AND JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO BE HEARD FAIRLY, BUT MOVING EFFICIENTLY. BECAUSE I'VE RUN VERY HIGH VOLUME PRACTICE FOR 26 YEARS, I THINK I'M ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD AT MANAGING LOTS OF WORK AT THE SAME TIME AND
BEING ORGANIZED AND GETTING IT DONE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES THE INTERVIEW.
>> MY PLEASURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. WONDERFUL TO MEET YOU. THANK YOU, JUDGE, FOR BEING HERE. WE'LL START OFF WITH A QUICK TWO-MINUTE INTRODUCTION OF YOURSELF AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ONE QUESTION FROM A COUNCILMEMBER AND YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND TO THE QUESTION. IT WILL FEEL VERY FAST AND
THAT'S OKAY. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M [INDISCERNIBLE] AND A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF SAN ANTONIO.
I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL HERE, WENT TO COLLEGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME, GRADUATED AND WENT TO LAW SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
SO IT'S KIND OF CRAZY TO BE AN IRISH AND A LONGHORN. SO MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT BOTH, BUT THAT'S OKAY. AFTER LAW SCHOOL I WAS -- I WORKED FOR LEGAL SERVICES, BEXAR COUNTY LEGAL AID, WHICH IS NOW TEXAS RIO GRANDE LEGAL AID.
I WENT TO WORK WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. PROSECUTOR FOR ABOUT 11 YEARS. TRIED MISDEMEANORS THROUGH FELONIES.
AND THEN I WAS A MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE IN 1997 AND I RETIRED FROM THE CITY I THINK IN 2014. I TOOK SENIOR STATUS, MEANING THAT I'M A PART-TIME
[00:45:04]
MAGISTRATE HANDLING CASES ON ASSIGNMENT BY THE PRESIDING JUDGE.I THINK ALSO IN 2021 I WAS APPOINTED JUSTICE OF THE PEACE IN PRECINCT 1 TO FILL AN EXPIRED TERM WHEN A JUDGE RESIGNED. AND RIGHT NOW I AM WORKING AS A PART-TIME MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE AND I'M ALSO FILLING IN OR HAVING FILLING IN SINCE MAY IN JP4, JUSTICE OF THE PEACE NUMBER 4. JUDGE GARCIA WAS SICK AND PASSED AWAY IN DECEMBER OF THIS PAST YEAR, SO HER DOCKET NEEDED TO BE COVERED WHILE SHE WAS SICK. SO I THINK SINCE MAY I'VE BEEN COVERING HER DOCKETS TWO TO THREE TIMES A WEEK IN JUSTICE OF THE PEACE PRECINCT 4 ALONG WITH JUDGE CELESTE BROWN. THAT'S BASICALLY IT. I'VE BEEN PRETTY MUCH A
LIFELONG PUBLIC SERVANT AND I ENJOY WHAT I DO. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK
YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA? >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A
HIGH VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT? >> I BELIEVE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN. I BELIEVE YOU NEED TO FIND A WAY TO MOVE CASES ALONG JUDICIOUSLY, EFFICIENTLY A AND GIVING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.
THE BIGGEST CRITICISM MOST PEOPLE WILL NOT -- WILL NOT BE PART OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM OR IN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM OTHER THAN AT MUNICIPAL COURT BECAUSE EVERYBODY GETS A TICKET. JUDGES GET TICKETS, POLICE OFFICERS GET TICKETS, FEDERAL DISTRICT JUDGES GET TICKETS, FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
AND SO DIGNITY AND RESPECT JUST LIKE I WANT TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AS WELL.
AND MANY TIMES THE EVERYDAY CITIZEN, WHETHER IT'S FOR A TICKET OR IF I'M SEEING THEM FOR AN EVICTION OR A DEBT CLAIM IN JP COURT IS GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE COURT WHAT THEY WANT TO TELL THE COURT. IT MAY NOT CHANGE THE COURT'S RULING, BUT YOU'VE GIVEN THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU WHAT THEY FEEL OR HOW THEY'RE FEELING OR WHAT THEIR POSITION IS. BECAUSE THE BIGGEST CRITICISM OF THE JUDGES IS, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, THEY'LL WALK OUT, THE CITIZEN WILL WALK OUT, AND HE'LL SAY OR HE OR SHE WILL SAY THE JUDGE DID NOT GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. NOW, THEY CAN'T GO FOR 20 MINUTES, BUT IF THEY CAN PUT IT IN A CONCISE FORM AND YOU DIGEST CAN IT AND THEN YOU CAN STILL TELL THEM, WELL, I UNDERSTAND, BUT THIS IS HOW I RULED AND THAT'S MY DECISION. AND THAT'S HOW I THINK IT SHOULD BE.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES THE
INTERVIEW. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> BYE-BYE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, JUDGE, FOR BEING HERE.
>> OF COURSE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WE'LL START OFF WITH A QUICK TWO-MINUTE INTRODUCTION OF YOURSELF AND THEN A QUESTION FROM A COUNCILMEMBER AND YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND. IT'S GOING TO FEEL VERY
FAST. >> MY NAME IS FRANKIE, FRANKIE SANDOVAL, BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO. AND I NEED TO SAY AS WAS ON MY APPLICATION, THIS HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER, BEING A JUDGE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THE CITY I GREW UP WITH. WE'RE CHANGING, BUT WE'RE STILL SO MUCH THE SAME AND AS COSMOPOLITAN AS WE LIKE TO THINK WE ARE, I STILL LIKE THE PROCEED VIN SHALL NATURE OF OUR TOWN AND I REALLY DO LOVE BEING A JUDGE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
I PRACTICE ACROSS THE STREET, ALL THE WAY UP TO FELONIES, FIRST DEGREE MURDER, DIVORCES, BUT IN MUNICIPAL COURT IS WHERE MOST INDIVIDUALS HAVE THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE. AND SOMETIMES ONLY EXPERIENCE WITH THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. AND WHAT I SEE IS FOLKS JUST WANT TO BE HEARD.
THEY MAY NOT APPRECIATE THE DECISION AT THE END, BUT THE FACT THAT THEY FELT THEY WERE HEARD AND RESPECTED AND TREATED DECENTLY, I THINK JUST MEANS THE WORLD TO
[00:50:08]
THEM. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: PERFECT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: GOOD AFTERNOON.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A
HIGH VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT? >> COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA, WITH RESPECT TO THAT, IT IS CHALLENGING. I LIKE TO THINK THAT TECHNOLOGY IS HELPING, BUT SOMETIMES, AS IS THE CASE IN ALL OUR DAILY LIVES, AND WE IS STILL TAKE EVERY CASE ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS BECAUSE IT'S REAL EASY JUST TO SEE THE NUMBER AND NOT APPRECIATE THAT THERE'S AN INDIVIDUAL, A WIFE OR A HUSBAND AND A FAMILY AND CHILDREN BEHIND THEM. SO ANY DECISION WE MAKE DOESN'T JUST AFFECT THEM, IT COULD HAVE LONG REACHING EFFECTS.
SO I DO MY BEST. ONE OF THE QUALITIES I THINK I LIKE TO TRY TO REINSTILL IN MYSELF ON A DAILY BASIS IS EMPATHY. NOT TO BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. I DON'T ALLOW ANYONE TO TAKE MY PLEASANTNESS AS A WAY FOR THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ME, BUT TO AT LEAST SEE THE REAL PERSON BEHIND THAT BECAUSE OFTEN TIMES WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO JUST HAD A BAD DAY OR A BAD NIGHT AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. WE CAN STILL MOVE THEM THROUGH EFFICIENTLY EVEN IN
A LARGE VOLUME SITUATION OR SCENARIO. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES THE INTERVIEW.
>> I DO APPRECIATE IT. I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR TIME.
TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GOOD REST OF THE DAY. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, JUDGE, FOR BEING HERE. >> THANK YOU.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WE'LL START OFF WITH -- >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OF COURSE. WE'LL START OFF WITH A QUICK TWO-MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A QUESTION FROM A COUNCILMEMBER AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND. IT'S GOING TO GO BY VERY
QUICK, BUT THAT'S OKAY. >> PERFECT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL RAMOS. I WAS ACTUALLY BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO MY WHOLE LIFE, EXCEPT THREE YEARS I LIVED IN HOUSTON GOING TO LAW SCHOOL.
I GRADUATED FROM JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL, GRADUATED FROM UTSA IN 1981, GRADUATED FROM LAW SCHOOL AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, THURGOOD MARSHALL SCHOOL OF LAW IN 1985. I WAS ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR 13 YEARS AND I WAS CHIEF POSITION, FIRST YEAR FELONY PROSECUTOR, I HAD FOUR PEOPLE -- FOUR PROSECUTORS THAT WORKED UNDER ME AS WELL AS TWO INVESTIGATORS, TWO INTERNS -- ONE INTERN AND AN ADVOCATE. AND I WENT TO PRIVATE PRACTICE, I WAS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE FOR 20 YEARS. I WAS ACTUALLY A PART-TIME CRIMINAL LAW MAGISTRATE. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WAS -- I ACTUALLY HAD A FEDERAL AND STATE PRACTICE AND I ALSO HAD -- I WAS ON THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE FOR SIX YEARS [INDISCERNIBLE] AND COMMITTEE CHAIR FOR SIX YEARS. AND ALSO I WAS ALSO APPOINTED SEVERAL TIMES BY THE DISTRICT AND COUNTY COURT AT LAW JUDGES TO BE A DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRO TEM WHEN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ACTUALLY RECUSED HIMSELF.
THE LAST EIGHT YEARS ACTUALLY I WAS WORKING WITH THE MUNICIPAL COURT, I WAS IN A MAGISTRATE JUDGE AS WELL AS TAKING CARE OF ARAINMENT DOCKETS AND IN ADDITION TO THAT ACTUALLY HELPING TRAIN THE NEW JUDGES AS WELL AS BEING ON CALL IN THE EVENT THAT THEY NEEDED HELP. ALSO THE -- ACTUALLY I TAKE CARE OF THE KIOSK IN ADDITION TO MY JOB AS A MAGISTRATE JUDGE DURING THE DAY, I WORK -- [BUZZER]. EXCUSE ME. I TAKE CARE OF WHAT THEY CALL THE KIOSK. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE AWARE THAT WE HAVE A KIOSK AT IGO LIBRARY. IT'S ON THE NORTHSIDE, BUT I'VE BEEN TALKING TO A PERSON IN OUR OFFICE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THEM IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS BECAUSE I DON'T SEE HOW IT'S FAIR THAT IT'S ONLY ON THE NORTHSIDE.
AND WE COULD USE THEM ON THE SOUTHSIDE, EDWC AND WESTSIDE.
AND ALSO I WAS APPOINTED BY SID HARRELL TO BE A VISITING JUDGE IN WINDCREST WHEN ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WAS CHARGED WITH A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR THEFT AND ALSO IN -- WAS APPOINTED AS A VISITING JUDGE IN JORDAN TON AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: GOOD AFTERNOON.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A
HIGH VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT? >> IF YOU'RE MEANING LIKE BASICALLY LIKE ARRAIGNMENT DOCKET, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?
>> MUNGIA: YES. >> AN ARRAIGNMENT DOCKET, AT THAT POINT I LIKE TO SEE
[00:55:02]
ABOUT GOING AND FINDING OUT WHAT'S ON THE DOCKET FIRST AND LOOK IN THE NOTES OF WHAT THE CLERKS HAVE PUT IN WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING. IF THEY HAVE A CDL, AND BASICALLY VERY LITTLE WE CAN DO. AT THAT POINT WE TELL THEM THEY HAVE TO EITHER SET IT FOR TRIAL OR TAKE THE HIT ON IT BECAUSE THOSE TYPE OF OFFENSES YOU CAN'T GET DEFERRED ADJUDICATION. IF THEY WANT TO SEE ABOUT WORKING SOMETHING OUT, IF THEY HAVE MORE THAN ONE CASE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ABOUT SENDING THEM TO THE PROSECUTOR BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO CAN DISMISS A CASE OR PLEA ON THE OTHER ONE. THE BEST WE CAN DO IS REDUCE THE FEE, BUT IF THEY CAN GO AHEAD AND DISMISS A CASE AND COME BACK TO ME, I CAN DISMISS THE CASE ONCE THE CASE IS PAID IN FULL AND I CAN HELP THEM WITH THE FINE IS TOO HIGH TO WORK WITH THEM ON THE FINE BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS FAIR WITH THEM, TRY TO WORK WITH THEM ON THAT.>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES THE
INTERVIEW. >> THANK YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE,
JUDGE. >> HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WE'LL START OFF WITH A QUICK TWO-MINUTE INTRODUCTION OF YOURSELF AND ONE QUESTION FROM THE COUNCILMEMBER AND YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND TO THAT.
IT'S GOING TO GO BY VERY QUICKLY, AND THAT'S OKAY. >> THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM PETER ZAMORA. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO. I GREW UP NEAR LEE HIGH SCHOOL BUT WENT TO CENTRAL CATHOLIC LIKE OUR ESTEEMED CITY ATTORNEY THERE. RECEIVED MY UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE FROM UT AUSTIN IN GOVERNMENT IN 1993. MY LAW DEGREE FROM UT AUSTIN IN 1997. SPENT THE NEXT THREE YEARS IN AUSTIN PRACTICING CIVIL LITIGATION WITH ONE OF THE TOP LITIGATION FIRMS. MY WIFE AND I MOVED BACK TO SAN ANTONIO IN 2001 AND HAVE BEEN RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 8 EVER SINCE.
SHE GREW UP HERE AS WELL. I SPENT 11 YEARS PRACTICING LITIGATION WITH SOME OF THE BEST CIVIL LITIGATION FIRMS IN THE STATE UNTIL MY APPOINTMENT AS A FULL-TIME JUDGE IN 2008. SINCE THAT TIME I'VE BEEN ASSIGNED TO HANDLE EVERY DOCKET AT THE COURT WITH THE EXEMPTION OF THE JUVENILE DOCKET.
I CURRENTLY HANDLE HIGH VOLUME TRAFFIC ARRAIGNMENT, CLASS K ARRAIGNMENT AND TRIALS. JUNK VEHICLE HEARINGS. I REVIEW ALL THE MAIL THAT COMES INTO THE COURT, INCLUDING MAIL FROM INMATES. AND I AM ON THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT MAGISTRATION ROTATION. I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ASK THE PEOPLE AT THE COURT ABOUT ME, COURT COORDINATOR, THE PROSECUTORS, THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS, THE COURT CLERKS, THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT I RARELY TAKE TIME OFF, I'M USUALLY ALWAYS AT THE COURTHOUSE, I TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT, I AM FIRM, BUT FAIR. BUT MY DOCKETS WILL ALWAYS START ON TIME AND MY DOCKETS WILL ALWAYS, ALWAYS BE RUN EFFICIENTLY.
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE BEST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT I CAN GIVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE PEOPLE THAT I SERVE IS THE ABILITY TO COME TO COURT, BE HEARD, BE TREATED FAIRLY, HAVE THEIR CASES RESOLVED AND GET THEM BACK TO THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR JOBS OR THEIR SCHOOL. IF ANOTHER JUDGE IS OUT OR LATE OR BACKED UP WITH A FULL DOCKET, USUALLY MY DOOR IS KNOCKED ON, JUDGE KASSAHN'S DOOR IS KNOCKED ON AND WE PROVIDE THE JUDICIAL SUPPORT NECESSARY TO HELP THE JUDGES CLEAR THE DOCKETS. I TRULY LOVE THE POSITION I'M SERVING IN.
I BELIEVE I'M GOOD AT IT. I WILL BE CERTAINLY HONORED TO CONTINUE SERVING IN THE
CAPACITY THAT I AM. THANK YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK
YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. >> HELLO, JUDGE.
THANK YOU. HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE NEED FOR EFFICIENCY WITH THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A HIGH VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU NEED TO RELY ON.
YOU NEED TO RELY ON WHEN THEY CHECK INTO THE COURTHOUSE, THEY GET SCREENED BY THE CLERKS UP FRONT. THEY PUT NOTES IN THE SYSTEM WHICH TELLS US BASICALLY WHAT THE DEFENDANT IS LOOKING FOR, LOOKING FOR PROBATION, LOOKING FOR DEFENSIVE DRIVING, THEY WANT TO CONTEST THE CASE.
THEY NEED TO RESET BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A LICENSE. SO BEFORE THEY WALK IN I HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT IT IS THAT THE DEFENDANT WANTS. THEN YOU HAVE TO RELY ON YOUR CLERK, AND I HAVE AN INTERPRETER NEXT ON ME THAT CAN HELP ME SCREEN PEOPLE AND HELP THEM DECIDE HOW THEY WANT TO HANDLE THEIR CASE.
IT CAN BE DIFFICULT. MONDAY MORNINGS WE SEE 140 PEOPLE IN 180 MINUTES.
AND I'M TYPICALLY THAT JUDGE THAT'S THERE. SO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS LISTEN, YOU HAVE TO HAVE EXPERIENCE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO USE THE SYSTEM, THE COMPUTER OPERATING SYSTEM, AND SEE WHAT THE CASE, WHAT KIND OF STATUS IT'S IN. SO I THINK EXPERIENCE COMES WITH IT AND THAT YOU HAVE ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN RUNNING AN EFFICIENT COURT.
IF IT'S AN 8:00 DOCKET, STARTING AT 8:00, NOT STARTING AT 8:05.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES THE
INTERVIEW. >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> YOU TOO. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, JUDGE, FOR BEING HERE.
[01:00:06]
WE'LL START OFF WITH A QUICK TWO-MINUTE INTRODUCTION OF YOURSELF AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ONE QUESTION FROM A COUNCILMEMBER AND YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND.IT WILL GO BY VERY QUICKLY, AND THAT'S OKAY. >> I'M SORRY, I COULDN'T HEAR WHAT HE SAID. SERIOUS BEEN WITH THE COURT SINCE 2008.
WHEN I STARTED I WAS RUNNING AN EVENING TRIAL DOCKET AND WE DID THAT FOR A VERY LONG TIME. IT ALLOWED PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T TAKE OFF FROM THEIR JOBS TO COME IN AND IF THEY WANTED TO HAVE A TRIAL IN THEIR CASE THEN THEY COULD.
WE DID THAT FOR A LONG TIME. THEN I STARTED THE COURT'S KIOSK OPERATION.
THIS IS WHERE YOU COULD GO TO AN H.E.B. AND IF YOU JUST WANTED DRIVING SAFETY WE HAD A KIOSK THERE THAT YOU COULD --E JUDGE AND I WOULD LOOK AT YOUR RECORD AND THEN YOU COULD PAY AT THE KIOSK AT THE H.E.B. IT WAS A GREAT OPERATION.
IT RAN FOR A LONG TIME. AND IT WAS VERY POPULAR, BUT WE WERE FOLLOWING THE BANKING RULES AND THEY SHUT US DOWN. SO APPARENTLY AUDIO] OF WHAT YOU CAN DO WHEN YOU'RE TAKING MONEY, YOU KNOW, IN THE OPERATION THAT WE'RE RUNNING. SO UNFORTUNATELY WE DID THAT NO LONGER.
AND THEN WHEN THE COUNTY FIRED SOME OF THEIR MAGISTRATES, I WENT OVER TO HELP WITH MAGISTRATION. IT WAS AN EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE.
AND SO I'VE BEEN DOING MAGISTRATION SINCE THEN. SO IT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE, AND WHEN I CAME ON IT WAS BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I WAS HAPPY BEING A PUBLIC INTEREST LAWYER, I WAS A SINGLE PARENT AND I COULDN'T AFFORD TO SEND MY KIDS TO COLLEGE. SO JUDGE WILL GAVE ME A PART-TIME JOB AND I THOUGHT, WELL, THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO DO. I DIDN'T THINK THERE WOULD BE ANY INTERESTING IMPORTANT ISSUES. AND THEN I HEARD ABOUT SURCHARGES AND SURCHARGES WERE THE EXTRA FEES THAT THEY ADDED ON IF YOU HAD A CITATION FOR NO LICENSE OR NO INSURANCE. AND SO THE FIRST TIME A MAN CAME UP TO ME AND HAD A CITATION FOR NO LICENSE, I SAID WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A LICENSE? I CAN'T AFFORD THE SURCHARGES.
SO PEOPLE WERE GOING HEAVILY INTO DEBT OVER SURCHARGES BECAUSE IF YOU DIDN'T PAY YOUR SURCHARGES, THEY WOULDN'T ALLOW YOU TO GET A LICENSE.
THEN THEY WERE TRAPPED IN THE CYCLE. SO THAT WAS WHEN I STARTED DOING RESEARCH AND I FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAD FILED A COUPLE OF LAWSUITS ACROSS THE NATION ON THESE SURCHARGE ISSUES. I GOT TOGETHER WITH A LAWYER IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND WE PUT TOGETHER THE SURCHARGE LAWSUIT THAT FINALLY PUSHED THE LEGISLATURE TO GET RID OF SURCHARGES. SO I FELT LIKE I AM DOING SOMETHING REALLY GREAT IN THIS JOB. I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT MAGISTRATION BECAUSE I STILL HAVE PEOPLE COME UP TO ME AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. I WILL HAVE PEOPLE COME IN AND I'LL SAY WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A LICENSE? AND THEY'LL SAY BECAUSE I STILL HAVE SURCHARGES.
AND I SAY SURCHARGES HAVE BEEN OVER FOR A LONG TIME. ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SURCHARGES OWE NOTHING. THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND OMNIBASE BECAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN THOUGH DPS WON'T GIVE THEM A LICENSE THAT THEY CAN GO TO THE COURT AND THEY CAN TALK TO THE JUDGE AND TELL THEM ABOUT WHAT THEIR FINANCES ARE AND GET THEIR -- EITHER GET TIME SERVED OR DO COMMUNITY SERVICE, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE, THEY JUST FIGURE THEY CAN'T GET A LICENSE UNTIL THEY CAN PAY ALL OF THE FEES. AND IT REALLY MAKES ME SAD WHEN I SEE THAT. SO I TRY AND POINT THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT PIECE THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND.
IT'S VERY COMPLICATED EVEN FOR THE LAWYERS. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA?
>> MUNGIA: GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE. THANK YOU.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A
HIGH VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT? >> I'M SORRY, I HAVE AN EAR
INFECTION. >> MUNGIA: HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A HIGH VOLUME DOCKET IN A
MUNICIPAL COURT? >> SO IT IS TOUGH BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SPEND ENOUGH TIME TALKING TO PEOPLE AND YET YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHERS WAITING.
AND SO YOU KIND OF TRY AND POINT THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND YOU TELL THEM ALWAYS THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK AND TALK TO ANYBODY AT THE COURT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL YOU HAVE A COURT APPOINTMENT.
THE COURT IS ALWAYS OPEN. AND WHEN YOU COME IN YOU CAN TALK TO A PROSECUTOR, YOU CAN ASK TO SPEAK TO A JUDGE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT. SO I UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM. SOMETIMES THEY FEEL LIKE THERE'S THIS WALL AND YOU ONLY GO WHEN YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT. A LOT OF TIMES I WILL TELL PEOPLE WHEN I'M ENTERING AN ORDER, IF YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY TO PAY BY THE DEADLINE
[01:05:02]
THAT I GIVE YOU, YOU JUST COME IN AND YOU EXPLAIN YOUR SITUATION OR YOU ASK FOR MORE TIME. SO WE'RE KIND OF KEEPING IT OPEN SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT JUST THERE TO COLLECT MONEY. WE ARE THERE TO HELP THEM WORK THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND IF THEY NEED HELP BECAUSE THEY CAN'T PAY FOR THE FINE AND FEES, THEN THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS. SO I EXPLAIN THAT TO PEOPLE A LOT BECAUSE THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND. THEY FEEL LIKE IF I DON'T PAY THEN WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS JUST DRIVE WITHOUT A LICENSE FOR YEARS.>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES THE
INTERVIEW. >> THANK YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE,
JUDGE. >> THANK Y'ALL. GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WE'LL START OFF WITH A TICK TWO-MINUTE INTRODUCTION OF YOURSELF AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A QUESTION FROM A COUNCILMEMBER AND YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND. IT WILL GO BY VERY QUICKLY, AND THAT'S OKAY.
>> I UNDERSTAND. Y'ALL ARE UNDER A TIME PRESSURE.
MY NAME IS LORI CROCKETT, I'M PRESENTLY A PART-TIME MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE AND MAGISTRATE. I WAS APPOINTED ABOUT THIS TIME LAST YEAR ON A ONE-YEAR TERM. IT WAS A MIDTERM THING, AND I HAVE -- WHEN I APPLIED THE LAST TIME, I RETIRED FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I WAS WITH THE DA'S OFFICE FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS. I WAS A COUNTY MAGISTRATE PRIOR TO THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF SOME OF Y'ALL REMEMBER, THE COUNTY MAGISTRATE WAS ELIMINATED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, WE WERE UNEMPLOYED AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY PICKED US YOU UP. I'VE BEEN AT MS AND IT'S BEEN MY YEAR FOR ABOUT 22 YEARS NOW. I WAS A JUDGE I BELIEVE MY APPOINTMENT WAS IN 2003 OR 2004 AS A PART-TIMER. PREVIOUS TO THAT I WAS WITH THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION. I'VE BEEN AN ATTORNEY FOR GOING ON MY 36TH YEAR. AND PRIMARILY I WORKED AT MAGS.
I CAN REMEMBER MY FIRST DAY AT MAG AND THOUGHT THIS WAS GREAT, I LOVED IT, THAT'S WHERE I WANTED TO BE. AND I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO STAY WITH MAGS. AND I ALWAYS LOVED WORKING FOR THE CITY, JUST MAYBE IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE TO SAY, BUT I LIKE IT BETTER THAN WORKING FOR THE COUNTY.
[LAUGHTER]. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: IT'S ALWAYS APPROPRIATE TO SAY.
>> GOOD, GOOD. I THINK THE CITY TREATS THEIR EMPLOYEES VERY WELL.
I CAN KEEP RAMBLING, BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK
YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE. THANK YOU. HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A HIGH VOLUME DOCKET IN A
MUNICIPAL COURT? >> IT'S A CHALLENGE AT MAGS. WE GET -- IT JUST COMES IN.
IT JUST COMES IN IN A FLOW SOMETIMES, AND YOU'VE GOT TO GET THEM OUT, WE'VE GOT TO GET THEM TO THE JAIL, GOT TO GET THEM OUT THE DOOR. YOU JUST HAVE TO BE DILIGENT. WE HAVE TO DO THE -- CERTAINLY THE BASICS ARE PROBABLE CAUSE, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH TO CHARGE THEM AND HOLD THIS PERSON, AND THEN WE CAN MOVE ON. BUT WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH THE CITY TICKETS AS WELL BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE COUNTY PROBLEMS AND CITY PROBLEMS. IT CAN SLOW THINGS DOWN.
SO YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH TIME TO SPEND WITH SOMEBODY WITH SPEEDING TICKETS, DO WE RESET THIS, DO WE GET A PLEA, ARE THERE OTHER THINGS WE CAN WORK OUT? IN SLOWER TIMES IT'S EASIER TO DO THAT, YOU CAN TALK TO THEM AND SEE WHAT'S THEIR SITUATION AND MANAGE IT. SOMETIMES IT'S THE MIDDLE OF THE IT NIGHT AND WE HAVE TO GET EASIER TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THEIR PROBLEMS. IT IS A BALANCE. SOME FOLKS, IT'S LIKE I NEED TO TALK TO THIS PERSON A
LITTLE MORE THAN >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THAT CONCLUDES THE INTERVIEW. >> THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU, JUDGE, FOR BEING HERE.
WE'LL START OFF WITH A QUICK TWO-MINUTE INTRODUCTION OF YOURSELF AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ONE QUESTION FROM A COUNCILMEMBER AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RESPONDCH IT'S GOING TO GO BY VERY QUICKLY,
AND THAT'S OKAY. >> NO PROBLEM. ALL RIGHT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS JAMES BANAKA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH ME TODAY. I HAVE WORKED THE PAST TWO YEARS AS A PART-TIME JUDGE WITH THE SAN ANTONIO MUNICIPAL COURT AND THE PAST 14 YEARS AS A STAFF ATTORNEY FOR THE BEXAR COUNTY CIVIL DISTRICT COURTS WHERE I ASSIST THE 14 CIVIL DISTRICT JUDGES AND ABOUT EIGHT TO 10 INTERNS IN ASSISTING THE PUBLIC AND SERVING OTHER NEEDS.
[01:10:02]
I HAVE ENJOYED THE PAST TWO YEARS I WORKED AT THE MUNICIPAL COURTS JUST UNDERSETTING A BETTER EFFORT AT CRIMINAL LAW AND THE COURT'S ASPECT AND THE ROLE IN SERVING THAT NEED, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS I'M ABLE TO DO TO HELP THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. I LOOK FORWARD, IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, TO GET THE APPOINTMENT FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS, JUST CONTINUING TO ASSIST THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND HELPING THE NEEDS OF THECITY AND THE COUNTY. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA? >> MUNGIA: JUDGE, THANK YOU.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A HIGH-VOLUME DOCKET IN THE MUNICIPAL COURT?
>> YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR TIME, BUT ALSO WORK JEW DISHLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN REVIEWING THE CASES IN MAKING SURE YOU'RE NOT OVERLOOKING ANYTHING, ALSO UNDERSTAND THE PEOPLE'S TIMES AND NEEDS TO ASSOCIATE WHAT THEY NEED, TOO, TO MAKE SURE YOU GIVE THEM THE TIME THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR, FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO ANSWER, BUT ALSO EFFECTIVELY WORKING THROUGH THE DOCKET TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS DON'T JUST LAG FOR
NO REASON. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AS PROMISED, THAT WAS A QUICK CONCLUSION TO THE INTERVIEW.
>> OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD
AFTERNOON. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. HELLO. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, JUDGE. WE'LL START WUF A QUICK TWO-MINUTE INTRODUCTION OF YOURSELF AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ONE QUESTION. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND TO THE QUESTION AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE TWO POINTS.
>> MARC WHYTE WERE MOCK TRIAL. >> MY NAME IS VERONICA LA GAR RHETT TA. I AM ONE OF YOUR PART-TIME JUDGES FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, A FORMER PROSECUTOR UNDER SUSAN READ.
I DO A LOT OF CRIMINAL LAW. PROBABLY ABOUT 70% AND 30% FAMILY LAW. I AM CURRENTLY THE CHAIR OF THE HISPANIC WOMEN NETWORK OF TEXAS AND I WILL BE THE INCOMING CHAIR OF THE HISPANIC STATE BAR OF TEXAS WHICH I'M VERY PROUD OF. ANY QUESTIONS.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN BALANCING A HIGH-VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL
COURT? >> MY PARTICULAR POSITION THAT Y'ALL HAVE ASSIGNED TO ME IS MAINLY MAGISTRATION, SO I READ THROUGH A LOT OF THE PROBABLE CAUSE STATEMENTS, THE POLICE REPORTS, THE WARRANTS.
MAY R MAKE SURE THEY'RE ALL READ, I KNOW WHAT TIME TRANSPORT HAS TO HAPPEN, I MAKE SURE EVERYTHING HAS BEEN READ THOROUGHLY ONE HOUR BEFORE TRANSPORT SO WE CAN HAVE THE DOCKETS MOVING SO EVERYONE'S
READY TO GO. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WELL, WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO A CLOSING STATEMENT. AND THEN --
>> OH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH THE CITY. AND MARC WAS SUCH A FUN FRIEND. JUST KIDDING. SOUNDS GOOD.
WELL, THAT CONCLUDES THE INTERVIEW. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MR. GARCIA.
WE'LL HAVE ONE QUESTION, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND TO THE QUESTION. IT'S GOING TO GO BY VERY QUICKLY, AND THAT'S
OKAY. >> OKAY. I WOULD JUST -- I GUESS WHAT I SHOULD SAY IS THAT I'M A LONG-TIME ATTORNEY.
I'M NOW COMPLETING MY FOURTH YEAR WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. BEFORE THAT, I WORKED AS A CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER, AND BEFORE THAT I WAS -- WORKED AS AN INSURANCE DEFENSE LAWYER. AND BEFORE THAT, I WAS A PLAINTIFF LAWYER.
SO I FEEL HONORED THAT I'VE SEEN ALL FOUR QUARTERS OF THE BAR, AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT AS FAR AS SERVICE IS CONCERNED TO THE COMMUNITY, IT'S IN THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE THERE.
I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING ME FOR A BENCH POTION. POST. I WOULD SAY THAT MY PHILOSOPHY IN PROTECTING THE CITIZENS IS THAT WHENEVER A CITIZEN GETS
[01:15:06]
THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, HE SHOULD GET IT. IF THE -- I THINK I'VE MESSED THAT UP, BUT THE TIE GOES TO THE RUNNER. I THINK TIE GOES TO THE CITIZEN, AND I THINK THE JUDICIARY IS BLESSED WITH THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE MERCY IN ITS POSITION, SO I WOULD SEE THAT AS MY PHILOSOPHICAL GOAL.>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA?
>> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. HOW WOULD YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A
HIGH-VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT? >> WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN YOU HAVE A LARGE DOCKET, WHAT THAT MEANS IS DEDICATION FROM THE PERSON WHO HAS THE DOCKET. SO IT MEANS OFTENTIMES MORE THAN IS REQUIRED, SO I'LL -- LIKE MY POSITION AT THE DA'S OFFICE, THE TIME IS 8:00 TO 5:00, BUT THAT IS NOT -- RARELY -- I MEAN, THAT IS RARELY FOLLOWED, BECAUSE OF DOCKETS, IT JUST MEANS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME IN EARLY AND GET THE WORK DONE. SO I WOULD SEE THE SAME THING ON THE JUDICIAL SIDE. IF THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE, IT HAS TO BE DONE, AND THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES THE
>> JUST PART-TIME. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.
THAT CONCLUDES THE INTERVIEW. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE'LL START OFF WITH A QUICK TWO-MINUTE INTRODUCTION OF YOURSELF, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ONE QUESTION AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND. IT'S GOING TO GO BY VERY
QUICKLY, AND THAT'S OKAY. >> WONDERFUL, MY NAME'S ORLANDO [INDISCERNIBLE] I'M A NATIVE FROM [INDISCERNIBLE] I GREW UP IN MATAMOROS. I WENT TO UNIVERSITY HERE FOR UTSA, GO RAILROADS.
AFTER THAT I WENT TO ST. MARY'S LAW. WHEN I GRADUATED, I STARTED MY PRACTICE WITH MY BEST FRIENDS AND BUSINESS PARTNER NOW, PHILLIP LAMBERT. THROUGHOUT MY COURSE AND CAREER, I'VE MET A LOT OF THE FELLOW ATTORNEYS THAT I'M WORKING WITH RIGHT NOW, ONE OF THEM BEING VERONICA LA GER RHETT TA. SHE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS POSITION. I'VE BEEN A MAGISTRATE JUDGE SINCE AUGUST OF 2024, ABOUT TWO YEARS, MORE OR LESS. I SPECIALIZE IN CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAW, AND I'VE BEEN DOING IT EVER SINCE.
I LOVE TRYING CASES. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: EASY. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA? >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A HIGH-VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT?
>> HONESTLY, JUST GOING UP THERE AND READING EACH CASE SUFFICIENTLY, AND I ALWAYS TELL THE CLERKS, SCWAWS KEEP ON COMING. I WILL SIT ON THAT BENCH AS LONG AS IT TAKES TO GET THIS DONE. I TRY TO DO THIS AS EXPEDITIOUS AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE I KNOW WE DON'T WANT TO KEEP THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE JAIL MORE THAN THEY HAVE TO. I KNOW -- THEY CALL THEM TRAINS OUT, LEAVING 1/2 TO TWO HOURS SO WE CAN GET THEM IN AND OUT.
I AM A FLUENT SPANISH SPEAKER, SO I DON'T USE THE PHONE LINE, I CAN JUST TRANSLATE FOR THEM. IT'S MY FIRST LANGUAGE, SO I TRY TO KEEP THAT AS
EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THAT CONCLUDES THE INTERVIEW. >> OH, THANK YOU, GUYS.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I PROMISED IT WAS GOING TO BE FAST.
>> YEAH. THANK YOU. >> WE DO HAVE ONE MORE JUDICIAL APPLICANT, JUDGE ARRIAGA, HE IS A PART-TIME JUDGE CURRENTLY. HE DID APPLY FOR FULL-TIME AND A PART-TIME POSITION. HE WAS FINISHING UP A DOCKET AT BALANCE CONE HESS HEIGHTS AND WE'RE MOVING A LOT FASTER THAN WE THOUGHT WE WERE.
HE'S NOT EXPECTED TO BE HERE UNTIL ABOUT 3:40. SO I DON'T KNOW...
[01:20:36]
>> COUNCILMAN, DO YOU YOU, JUDGE, FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR MAKING YOUR
WAY FROM BALCONES HEIGHTS. >> THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY. >> WE'RE GOING TO START WITH A QUICK TWO-MINUTE INTRODUCTION TO YOURSELF, WE'LL HAVE ONE QUESTION AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINTS TO RESPOND AND THAT WILL BE IT. .
>> MY NAME IS ANTHONY ARRIAGA. I'M A PROSECUTE SOR/JUDGE. I'VE BEEN A PROSECUTOR FOR OVER 17 YEARS, 14 OF WHICH WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. I AM NOW SERVING AS A PART-TIME MAGISTRATE AND I'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, GOT PLENTY OF JUDGE EXPERIENCE. I'M ALSO AN ASSOCIATE JUDGE IN WINDCREST.
I AM PART OF THIS PROCESS, AND THE REASON WHY I'M DOING WHAT I'M DOING IS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, I WANT TO REALIZE MY DREAM OF BECOMING A FULL-TIME MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE.
THAT'S WHERE DA WHAT I WANT TO DO AND IF I COULD RETIRE DOING THAT, THAT'S WHAT I'D DO UNTIL I RETIRE, SO IT WOULD BE FABULOUS.
MY GREATEST STRENGTHS ARE GOING TO BE EXPERIENCE. I'VE GOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH VARIOUS MUNICIPAL COURT, SAN ANTONIO MUNICIPAL COURT MOST OF ALL. I BELIEVE IN THE GOLDEN RULE, I BELIEVE IN TREATING EVERYONE THE WAY I WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED IF I WERE IN THEIR SHOES AND I THINK THAT GOES FOR DEPARTMENTS, IT GOES FOR COURT CLERKS, IT GOES FOR ATTORNEYS, IT GOES FOR EVERYONE THAT WORKS AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT AND OTHERWISE. AND MY GREATEST STRENGTH IS THAT I'M NOT AFRAID OF HARD WORK. I DON'T MIND HAVING A 300-PERSON ASSAULT DOCKET. I DON'T MIND HEARING A SOVEREIGN CITIZEN TRIAL, I DON'T MIND HEARING A HIGH-PROFILE DOG BITE CASE, DANGEROUS BUILDING CODE VIOLATION HEARING, YOU NAME IT.
ANYTHING THAT PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO DO, I'M WILLING TO DO IT AND I'M
WILLING TO DO IT WELL. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA? >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, JUDGE.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY WITH THE NEED FOR THOROUGHNESS WHEN MANAGING A HIGH-VOLUME DOCKET IN A MUNICIPAL COURT?
>> YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO BE EFFICIENT, YOU WANT TO PUT THE PROCESS IN PLACE
[01:25:03]
THAT MAXIMIZES YOUR EFFICIENCY. AND YOU ALSO, OBVIOUSLY, WANT TO BE CORRECT IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. AND I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY AS THOROUGH VITALLY IMPORTANT WHEN HANDLING A DOCKET, BUT ALSO, AGAIN, TREATING PEOPLE THE WAY THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED IF YOU WERE STANDING BEFORE THAT JUDGE OR THAT PROSECUTOR. AND IT JUST TAKES IMPLEMENTING TECHNOLOGY OR IMPLEMENTING STAFF TO MANAGE THE DOCKET FOR EFFICIENTLY, YOU KNOW, CHANGING THE PROCESS OF THE DOCKET. AND, OF COURSE, TAKING TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS CORRECT.I'VE WORKED A LOT OF MUNICIPAL COURTS AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW.
I WORK AT SIX OTHER JURISDICTIONS, AND EACH OF THOSE DOCKETS IS DIFFERENT. AND THEY'RE RUN DIFFERENTLY.
AND THEY ARE RUN TO MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY. AND YOU'VE GOT TO UTILIZE THE TOOLS THAT YOU'VE GOT. YOU'VE GOT TO UTILIZE THE STAFF, UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY. AND THEN, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE TO HAVE GOOD PEOPLE IN THOSE POSITIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, MAXIMIZE CORRECTNESS, FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES THE
INTERVIEW. >> THANK YOU. THE TIME IS NOW 3:28 P.M., WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 2026. THE MUNICIPAL COURT ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT OF FULL-TIME MUNICIPAL JUDGES PURSUANT TO
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THE TIME IS NOW 3:59 P.M. AND THE COMMITTEE WILL RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. I'LL START OFF BY SAYING OUR MUNICIPAL COURT SESSION IS ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THAT AN INDIVIDUAL INTERACTS WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT. WE WERE IMPRESSED BY EVERY SINGLE APPLICANT AND EACH OF YOUR BACKGROUNDS AND DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT IN SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. YOU REPRESENT SO MANY DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS BUT NOT JUST LAW, MATHEMATICS, AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND MORE. MANY OF YOU ARE HOME GROWN TALENT SHARING REAL STSTAKES IN OUR CITY. STEPPING UP TO FEEL NEEDS WHERE YOU SEE THEM, WHETHER IT'S HELPING TO GET STRAI DOGS OFF THE STREET OR SERVING ON STATE AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.
SOME OF YOU HAVE CREATED AND LED ORGANIZATIONS. YOU'VE ADVOCATED ON BEHALF OF OUR VULNERABLE RESPECTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'WE'RE SO GRATEFUL THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAVE STEPPED UP TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY IN EACH WAY AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. THAT BEING SAID I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPOINTMENTS FIRST OF THE FULL-TIME JUDGES. REMEMBER WE'RE SEEKING TO FILL 10 FULL-TIME POSITIONS AND 12-PART-TIME POSITION.
>> VIAGRAN: CHAIR, I MOVE TO RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING 11 FULL-TIME JUDGES AND 10 PART-TIME JUDGES FOR APPOINTMENT BY THE FULL CITY COUNCIL FOR THE REMAINDER OF AN UNEXSPIRED TERM ENDING APRIL 30TH, 2028 AT THE NEXT AVAILABLE A SESSION. FOR FULL-TIME, KENNETH BELL, MELANIE CASTILLO, CARRY SAN ANTONIO CHAR VIERRA, YVONNE GOMEZ, DANIEL GUERRERA, LISA GONZALES, JAMES KA SEAN, MARGARITA POLL, MICHAEL RAMOS, PETER ZAMORA AND ANTHONY ARRIAGA. FOR PART-TIME, CHERYL MENDOZA, ALANNA PEARSALL PEREZ, FRANK SANDOVAL, JAMES ABIANCA, ROLANDO ARGUELLES, LAUREN LEFTON, VERONICA LEGARRETA, ALFREDO TAVERO AND DANIEL
GARCIA. >> WHYTE: SECOND. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WE HAVE A MOTION AND FAVOR. ALL IN FAVOR. (AYES.)
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WONDERFUL. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE APPOINTED.
THE TIME IS NOW 4:02 P.M. ON MAY 27, 2026, AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.