Category Archives: Judge Watch

Texas Justice of the Peace Resigns As Texas Rangers Invited to Join Investigation Into JP’s Activities

Fred Nieto Jr. is still shown on the official Lavaca County website as Justice of the Peace for Precinct Two, but it’s questionable whether or not he is going to answer the phone whose number is shown there: Fred Nieto Jr. turned over his letter of resignation to Lavaca County Judge Tramer Woytek a few…


Texas Judge Suzanne Wooten Still Facing Felony Bribery Charges – But the FBI Investigation May Point Fingers at Her Prosecutors, Stay Tuned

Texas Judge Suzanne Wooten’s predicament — being indicted on 6 counts of bribery while presiding over a Collin County judicial bench — was something that we first discussed last October, when Judge Wooten’s attorneys were arguing this was all politically motivated hogwash while the prosecutor, then District Attorney John Roach, claimed his offices were merely…


Federal Judge Sam A. Lindsay Sick and Tired of Bad Cops Getting Cushy Sentences: Orders Former Mesquite Narc Officer to 15 Months in Fed Pen for Taking $2000

Some Dallas locals may remember Sam Lindsay from his days serving as Dallas City Attorney (1992-1998); however, for many years now, he’s been Judge Sam A. Lindsay of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, presiding over a federal trial bench. And last week, Judge Sam A. Lindsay got fed up…


Jury Acquits El Paso District Judge Regina Arditti of Bribery; Arditti Resumes Work, Announces Run for Reelection

Over in El Paso last week, for the first time since November 2009, Judge Regina Arditti put on her judicial robes and took to the bench of the 448th Judicial District Court. She’d been away from her job all these 18 months because she was involved in another court proceeding: her own bribery trial. El…


Corrupt Texas Judges Going to Jail This Month: El Paso’s Jones and Brownsville’s Limas

It’s one thing when Texas judges make the national news like the Honorable Fred Biery did this week, as the Wall Street Journal discussed the way he writes opinions filled with footnotes referencing literary, cultural, and historical tidbits (“San Antonio Judge Not a Fan of Air Conditioning, Loves Footnotes.”) It’s quite another when the reputation…


Whattha? Judge Charlie Baird Rebuked by Appeals Court in Willingham Case

You’ll remember Judge Charlie Baird – we’ve written about him before:  Judge Baird was the man who took on the Tim Cole matter when others on the bench would not, and we tipped our hat to him for it (read “Judge Charlie Baird May Exonerate a Dead Man and Give Justice to Tim Cole”).  Judge Baird…


Houston Chronicle’s Rick Casey Argues Harris County District Judge Dan Hinde Committed Felony This Fall

Rick Casey is a columnist for the Houston Chronicle, and in his column dated December 7, 2010, he boldly argues that Harris County District Court Judge Dan Hinde, who presides over the 269th Judicial District Court, has violated Section 39.06 of the Texas Penal Code and thus committed a felony — but Judge Hinde sees…


Texas Judge Suzanne Wooten Indicted for Bribery, Suspended With Pay

Suzanne Wooten isn’t on the bench today, but she’s still getting a Collin County pay check.  This week, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct (the same organization that’s been so busy with the Justice Keller mess) announced that Judge Wooten was suspended from presiding over the 380th Judicial District Court of Collin County, Texas, an action…


Sharon Keller Reprimand Dismissed! Court of Criminal Appeals Chief Justice Gets Win From Special Court of Review. WOW.

This blog is dedicated to shedding light on the abuses and injustices of the Texas criminal justice system, and there’s plenty of media stories pertaining to that theme each week.  It seems almost redundant to sacrifice delving into a new story, just to return yet again to the Continuing Saga of Sharon Keller.  And yet, we…


McAllen Judge Arrested 4 Paying Off Credit Cards With Traffic Fine Money

The hurricane hitting South Texas today is the least of La Joya Municipal Court Judge Joe Henry Garza’s problems. At 55 years old, he’s been busted. Arrested, arraigned, the whole nines yards when you’re charged with a felony. And, yes, this South Texas municipal judge is facing felony theft charges. Judge Garza stands accused of putting his hand…