Pamela Cook Sirmon
Incumbent Republican Candidate for District Judge, 320th Judicial District
Sirmon/Photo by Campaign
Question: What is your age?
Answer: 60
Q: What is your educational background? Please list any degrees or certificates earned and any institutions attended.
A: Texas Judicial College, graduate
Texas Tech University School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence
Texas Tech University, Master of Agriculture
Texas Tech University, Bachelor of Agricultural Communications
River Road High School, graduate
Q: What is your occupation?
A: Judge, 320th District Court
Q: If you are a business owner, please list the business or businesses that you own. (If this question is not applicable, please note that below.)
A: n/a
Q: Please list any civic boards or commissions (non-profit, government, union, political, etc.) on which you have served as a board member or equivalent.
A: Current
Texas Tech Health Sciences Advisory Board, Amarillo campus
Church - Finance Committee
Recent Past
Texas Center for the Judiciary Board
Church - Board of Trustees
Amarillo Republican Women - past president
Amarillo Area Bar Foundation
Golden Spread Boy Scouts of America Board
Golden Spread Emmaus
Q: Have you previously held or do you currently hold any elected office? If so, what office(s)?
A: Present - Judge, 320th District Court Past - Judge, Potter County Court at Law #2
Q: If your campaign has any online campaign resources where voters can learn more about you, such as social media accounts or a website, please list them below.
A: Facebook - JUDGE PAMELA SIRMON
Q: Why did you decide to run for this office in 2022?
A: Three years ago, Potter County voters elected me to this Court. My staff and I have worked diligently (in spite of the County's computer virus in 2019 and the world's COVID pandemic since March 2020) to clean up the backlog of cases in this Court.
The family, civil, tax, and felony criminal cases in the 320th are the most current they have been in years. We, like other courts, held hundreds of Zoom hearings during the 10 months the courthouse was closed to the public. Since the courthouse reopened to the public in March 2021, we are back trying jury trials every month and hearings are in-person again.
The 320th is a high volume court that needs a full-time judge that will keep this court open and cases moving. I've been doing the work and I am asking Potter County voters to keep me in this office for another four years.
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities in office?
A: 1) Criminal cases. We have too many defendants both in jail and on bond waiting for a court date. Defendants, victims, witnesses, and family members need their day in court. Amarillo has a shortage of attorneys who want to practice criminal law - both defense and prosecution. Potter and Armstrong Counties are opening a public defender office in 2022 with the express intent to recruit criminal attorneys to Amarillo and get cases moving.
2) Family Law. Family law cases are becoming more complex and time consuming. Attorneys want 4 to 8 hour hearings. Each month has approximately 20 working days. The 320th has two criminal jury weeks and two days for criminal motion hearings, so family and civil cases are scheduled around those days. It takes long full days to get everything heard. The County might be facing the creation of family and criminal only courts as Amarillo continues to grow.
3) Harmonious work environment. The past three years have seen a vast improvement in the ability of the seven trial courts to work seamlessly together for the betterment of all. Changes in leadership coupled with COVID's necessity to be creative, has made all our courts more efficient. As the Local Administrative District Judge, in 2021 I oversaw the selection process for appointing a new District Clerk, County Auditor and head of Adult Probation.
Q: What is an issue you believe has gone overlooked in your race and how will you address it if elected?
A: Knowledge of all the types of law heard by this Court - family, civil, tax and criminal.
The 320th is not a criminal court only. It is assigned 33% of all the felony cases filed in Potter County. The 320th and the 108th split 70% of all family cases filed in the County. Additionally, the court is assigned 20% of the tax cases and 10% of the civil cases (most valued at $200,000 and above).
That means 60% of the Court's time is spent on criminal cases. It takes judicial experience to get all the other cases assigned to this Court heard is a timely manner.
Q: Why are you the best candidate for voters to support for this position?
A: Experience is the issue in this election. I have 23 years judicial experience presiding over family, criminal and civil cases. I have a proven record of maintaining an experienced, excellent staff who keeps the court open and accessible. Time management is essential to allow every litigant their time in court. Cases are heard Monday through Friday, mornings and afternoons. I run my office within the confines of a conservative budget being mindful of taxpayer dollars.