Clint Morgan
Republican Candidate for Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 5
Morgan/Photo by Campaign
Question: What is your age?
Answer: 40
Q: What is your educational background? Please list any degrees or certificates earned and any institutions attended.
A: Claremont McKenna College, BA 2004; UT-Austin School of Law, JD 2010
Q: What is your occupation?
A: Prosecutor
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: I do not own a business.
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: None
Q: Have you previously held or do you currently hold any elected office? If so, what office(s)?
A: No
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: www.clintforjudge.com; www.facebook.com/clintmorgantx
Q: Why did you decide to run for this office in 2022?
A: I was dissatisfied with the incumbent's performance. He sides with defendants when the law does not justify it, and he writes too few opinions. I've worked at the court and seen first hand what it takes to do the job. I believe I can do better than the incumbent.
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities in office?
A: 1) I want the court to release opinions quicker. At this point it is normal for cases to take more than a year to resolve. This leaves victims in limbo, and leaves prosecutors, judges, and police unsure of what the law is. 2) I want the court to grant review of more cases. There are a lot of ideological differences on the local courts of appeals. It is important for the Court of Criminal Appeals to be productive in its output and vigorous in its application of the law to ensure the law is being applied fairly throughout the state. 3) I want the court to address more issues squarely. The purpose of the Court of Criminal Appeals is to interpret the criminal law for the whole state. In recent years there has been an unfortunate trend to punt on substantive legal issues and decide cases on grounds that are not helpful for future cases. This leaves lawyers, judges, and police guessing what the law is.
Q: What is an issue you believe has gone overlooked in your race and how will you address it if elected?
A: Judicial philosophy. It's not enough that a candidate runs, or even gets elected as a Republican. He needs to have a judicial philosophy that matches Republican values. I'm an originalist, and a career prosecutor who believes laws should be strictly construed. The incumbent and I have different philosophies.
Q: Why are you the best candidate for voters to support for this position?
A: My experience, knowledge, and productivity far outshine those of the incumbent. I will move the Court of Criminal Appeals in the right direction.