On February 20, 2020, Tarrant County judges will convene for an emergency meeting to consider whether to remove all CPS cases from Judge Alex Kim’s court.
Judge Kim, a THSC endorsed judge, currently handles the majority of CPS cases for the county and is known for bucking the tradition of giving special treatment to the agency.
In many courtrooms, CPS is treated more like the court’s superior officer than like a neutral party coming before the judge. “Rubber-stamping” CPS requests is such a common practice in the family courts that failure to do so automatically turns heads. In Judge Kim’s case, it may also be bringing retribution.
Judge David Evans, another Tarrant County judge, has called an emergency meeting of Tarrant County judges to consider whether all CPS cases should be removed from Judge Kim’s jurisdiction.
The Texas Scorecard and activists inside Tarrant County report that the move is retribution against Judge Kim for standing up to CPS, as well as for his November 2019 ruling against Cook Children’s Hospital.
In November of 2019, Judge Kim issued a temporary restraining order preventing Cook Children’s Hospital from withdrawing life-sustaining treatment from baby Tinslee Lewis. Tinslee’s case has drawn state-wide and national attention and is currently pending before the Second Court of Appeals.
According to the Texas Scorecard, “Cook’s lawyers launched a series of draconian subpoenas in an attempt to frame Kim as being partial and force him into recusal. He was ultimately kicked off the case by Judge David Peeples of Bexar County, who was assigned by Tarrant Judge David Evans to determine if Kim should be recused or not.”
Judge Kim’s willingness to stand up to CPS and the local hospital stands in stark contrast to Judge Michael Chitty, who granted without hesitation requests from both CPS and the local hospital in the Pardo case.
While Judge Chitty bowed to CPS and the hospital at the expense of the Pardo family, Judge Kim has repeatedly protected Texas families by refusing to give special treatment to CPS and by literally saving the life of baby Tinslee Lewis.
The phrase “no good deed goes unpunished” seems especially relevant.
February 19, 2020 Update: Recent reports have surfaced that the vote on whether to remove CPS cases from Judge Kim will now take place on February 20, 2020 in a closed-door meeting.
Tarrant County residents should contact all of the voting judges that will be a part of this meeting and make it clear that the voters are watching closely how each judge votes on the measure. Contact info for each voting judge is below.
Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley: 817-884-1441; gwhitley@tarrantcounty.com
Judge David Evans: 817-884-2690
Judge John Chupp: 817-884-1992
Judge Don Cosby: 817-884-1452
Judge Wayne Salvant: 817-884-1347
Judge David Hagerman: 817-884-1908; hagermanforjudge2014@gmail.com
Judge Jesse Nevarez Jr.: 817-884-3796; jesse@nevarezlaw.net
Judge Kenneth E. Newell: 817-884-1794; kenneth@kennethnewell.com
Judge James B. Munford: 817-884-1427
Judge Judith Wells: 817-884-1537; judith@judgejudithwells.com
Judge Patricia Bennett: 817-884-2708
Judge Melody Wilkinson: 817-884-1460
Judge R.H. Wallace: 817-884-1452
Judge Jerry Hennigan: 817-884-1432
Judge Kimberly Fitzpatrick: 817-884-2710; Kfitzpatrick@tarrantcounty.com
Judge Josh Burgess: 817-884-2730; judge@judgejoshburgess.com
Judge Elizabeth Beach: 817-884-1351; ehbeach@tarrantcounty.com
Judge Robb Catalano: 817-884-1356; rcatalano@tarrantcounty.com
Judge Ruben Gonzalez: 817-884-2935
Judge Susan Heygood-McCoy: 817-884-2691; susan@mccoyforjudge.com
Judge Tom Lowe: 817-884-1709; tlowe@tarrantcounty.com
Judge Mike Thomas 817-884-1362
Judge Chris Wolfe: 817-884-1529
Judge Mollee Westfall: 817-884-2985
Judge Scott Wisch: 817-884-2990; swisch@tarrantcounty.com
Judge George Gallagher: 817-884-2765
Do you support THSC’s work in Keeping Texas Families Free? Sign up to receive updates!
On February 20, 2020, Tarrant County judges will convene for an emergency meeting to consider whether to remove all CPS cases from Judge Alex Kim’s court.
Judge Kim, a THSC endorsed judge, currently handles the majority of CPS cases for the county and is known for bucking the tradition of giving special treatment to the agency.
In many courtrooms, CPS is treated more like the court’s superior officer than like a neutral party coming before the judge. “Rubber-stamping” CPS requests is such a common practice in the family courts that failure to do so automatically turns heads. In Judge Kim’s case, it may also be bringing retribution.
Judge David Evans, another Tarrant County judge, has called an emergency meeting of Tarrant County judges to consider whether all CPS cases should be removed from Judge Kim’s jurisdiction.
The Texas Scorecard and activists inside Tarrant County report that the move is retribution against Judge Kim for standing up to CPS, as well as for his November 2019 ruling against Cook Children’s Hospital.
In November of 2019, Judge Kim issued a temporary restraining order preventing Cook Children’s Hospital from withdrawing life-sustaining treatment from baby Tinslee Lewis. Tinslee’s case has drawn state-wide and national attention and is currently pending before the Second Court of Appeals.
According to the Texas Scorecard, “Cook’s lawyers launched a series of draconian subpoenas in an attempt to frame Kim as being partial and force him into recusal. He was ultimately kicked off the case by Judge David Peeples of Bexar County, who was assigned by Tarrant Judge David Evans to determine if Kim should be recused or not.”
Judge Kim’s willingness to stand up to CPS and the local hospital stands in stark contrast to Judge Michael Chitty, who granted without hesitation requests from both CPS and the local hospital in the Pardo case.
While Judge Chitty bowed to CPS and the hospital at the expense of the Pardo family, Judge Kim has repeatedly protected Texas families by refusing to give special treatment to CPS and by literally saving the life of baby Tinslee Lewis.
The phrase “no good deed goes unpunished” seems especially relevant.
February 19, 2020 Update: Recent reports have surfaced that the vote on whether to remove CPS cases from Judge Kim will now take place on February 20, 2020 in a closed-door meeting.
Tarrant County residents should contact all of the voting judges that will be a part of this meeting and make it clear that the voters are watching closely how each judge votes on the measure. Contact info for each voting judge is below.
Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley: 817-884-1441; gwhitley@tarrantcounty.com
Judge David Evans: 817-884-2690
Judge John Chupp: 817-884-1992
Judge Don Cosby: 817-884-1452
Judge Wayne Salvant: 817-884-1347
Judge David Hagerman: 817-884-1908; hagermanforjudge2014@gmail.com
Judge Jesse Nevarez Jr.: 817-884-3796; jesse@nevarezlaw.net
Judge Kenneth E. Newell: 817-884-1794; kenneth@kennethnewell.com
Judge James B. Munford: 817-884-1427
Judge Judith Wells: 817-884-1537; judith@judgejudithwells.com
Judge Patricia Bennett: 817-884-2708
Judge Melody Wilkinson: 817-884-1460
Judge R.H. Wallace: 817-884-1452
Judge Jerry Hennigan: 817-884-1432
Judge Kimberly Fitzpatrick: 817-884-2710; Kfitzpatrick@tarrantcounty.com
Judge Josh Burgess: 817-884-2730; judge@judgejoshburgess.com
Judge Elizabeth Beach: 817-884-1351; ehbeach@tarrantcounty.com
Judge Robb Catalano: 817-884-1356; rcatalano@tarrantcounty.com
Judge Ruben Gonzalez: 817-884-2935
Judge Susan Heygood-McCoy: 817-884-2691; susan@mccoyforjudge.com
Judge Tom Lowe: 817-884-1709; tlowe@tarrantcounty.com
Judge Mike Thomas 817-884-1362
Judge Chris Wolfe: 817-884-1529
Judge Mollee Westfall: 817-884-2985
Judge Scott Wisch: 817-884-2990; swisch@tarrantcounty.com
Judge George Gallagher: 817-884-2765
Do you support THSC’s work in Keeping Texas Families Free? Sign up to receive updates!
