The upcoming primary election takes place on March 1st with early voting beginning on February 14th. The next Brown County Judge will be selected from this race. So, what exactly does a county judge do?
Think of the county judge as a president, and the four commissioners as legislators. In conjunction with running a courtroom, he or she will preside over and vote in the county commissioners court.
The court’s duties include setting tax rates, approving annual budgets, setting precinct boundaries, supervising the courthouses and jails, and overseeing construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, libraries, and parks in Brown County.
The next Brown County Judge will act as head of emergency management and will work with local, state, and federal agencies during and after a disaster.
In small counties, like Brown County, the county judge presides over the constitutional county court. The judge may consider criminal, civil, probate, juvenile and mental competency matters. The judge will handle appeals from the justice courts.
It’s safe to say the county judge acts as a CEO with their hand in every part of governing the county with a large responsibility to both their judicial and administrative duties.
A law degree is not required of a county judge, but the Texas Constitution requires that the Judge be well informed in the law of the state. After election the county judge is required to attain thirty hours of judicial education during their first year in office and sixteen hours every year thereafter in order to remain up to date regarding new laws and procedures related to their judicial responsibilities.
The Brown County Primary Election ballot will include the following candidates for County Judge:
Click on the names of the candidates to learn about their qualifications for Judge, their previous experience, and why they want to serve the citizens of Brown County.