Race: County Court-at-Law No. 5
Republican Chesney, Democrat Shamsie seek post
* Posted October 9, 2010 at 7:03 p.m., updated October 9, 2010 at 7:07 p.m.
Chesney
Shamsie
CORPUS CHRISTI — The court handles a caseload of mostly Child Protective Services cases that involve the removal and placement of children as a result of abuse, neglect or abandonment.
Adoptions, guardianships and juvenile cases from throughout Nueces County also are handled by the court.
Commissioners appointed Terry Shamsie, a Democrat, to the bench in 2008 to serve out the remainder of the late Judge Carl Lewis’ unexpired term.
Shamsie, a former county judge, is running for a full four-year term against Republican Brent Chesney, a city councilman, for the seat.
The position pays about $139,000 annually.
Terry Shamsie
Age: 47
Occupation: Judge
Experience: As judge I have handled over 400 cases affecting more than 900 children who were victims of child abuse and neglect, over 300 juvenile cases and more than 100 guardianship cases, 2008 to present. With bipartisan support, I was unanimously elected chair of the Juvenile Board of Judges. As county judge, I presided over Commissioners Court and a $100 million budget, 2003-06.
I practiced law handling adult criminal cases, juvenile cases and family law and civil cases, 1991-2002. As assistant county attorney, I handled civil litigation including some CPS, protective orders and family violence cases, 1989-91. I was on the Law Review’s staff at South Texas College of Law, received awards for academic achievement/American Jurisprudence and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from St. Ambrose College.
What makes you the best person for this office?
My parents raised me to value honesty, education and a strong work ethic. During my about 23 years of practicing law, I have handled the most difficult criminal, juvenile and complex family law cases, earning the trust of prosecutors and child advocates who work to fix broken families. I utilize evidence-based research to provide effective long-term solutions to the tough cases facing this court daily. My unique qualifications make me the best fit for this position.
What is the most troubling type of crime juveniles commit in Nueces County, and what would you do/have done to help as judge?
The use and distribution of drugs, especially in school, constitutes the most serious offenses committed by juveniles. Consumption of drugs, both legal and illegal, is an underlying and contributing factor to the commission of more serious offenses including family violence, burglary of homes and vehicles. These offenders get assessed and placed in drug court or a long-term secured drug treatment facility. I meet with these juveniles on the second and fourth Thursday of each month.
What is your judicial philosophy?
Knowing that of the 4,000 children that come through the juvenile justice system annually, there are only enough funds to place 10 children in long-term treatment. I must, therefore, administer the law exercising common sense with an eye toward holding the line on our dollars and cents. I make decisions based on the best interest of the child and in juvenile cases, what it takes to rehabilitate the child despite ever-shrinking tax dollars.
Brent Chesney
Age: 47
Occupation: Attorney
Experience: I have practiced family law, Child Protective Services cases and criminal matters in Nueces County since 1996. I have also practiced in the area of guardianships. I have tried combined somewhere in the range of 75 cases to a judge or jury. I have never lost a jury trial that I was lead counsel on.
What makes you the best person for this office?
Nueces County needs a judge who really cares about the youth and families of this community that this court serves. I have the experience and dedication to be that judge. Nueces County needs a judge who will not overspend taxpayer dollars as my opponent has (an estimated $500,000 during his two years on bench.) I believe we need a judge who will not be soft on crime as my opponent has been. I have been endorsed unanimously by law enforcement.
What is the most troubling type of crime juveniles commit in Nueces County, and what would you do/have done to help as judge?
Felony offenses and the large number of graffiti offenses that are not being addressed by my opponent are troublesome. Nueces County needs a judge who will not continue to let the offenders go as my opponent has. We need a judge who will work to take these repeat juvenile offenders off the street. As parents, sometimes we must have the courage to administer “tough love.” The judge of this court must have that same courage.
What is your judicial philosophy?
My philosophy is to be firm but fair with everyone. I believe a judge is there to administer the law and not make law. If someone wants to make law, then they should run for the Legislature. I believe you must leave your personal agendas and policymaking ideas at the door. You must take each case one by one. No two cases are the same, nor should they be judged as such.
© 2010 Corpus Christi Caller Times. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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* October 9, 2010
* 7:58 p.m.
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ridley writes:
Let me see, Brent Chesney, Isn't he the city councilman who promised not one more inch of beach, then came back the next week and wanted double. He supported that beach closure to the end, he did finish that.
Last time after he got on city council he found out the advantages of getting a job with a title company american title. then through that little synergy he became a local star so they promoted him to dallas where he moved but refused to give up his seat on the council flying in for meetings. Then when they discovered he wasnt quite as successful in dallas, (maybe because he wasnt on the city council there) he came back to corpus and had to buy his old house back.
Now off the city council and no longer working for american title. so he runs again and based on the usual white low turnout in city elections and good name recognition he gets elected again. Then we find out through the caller times that he has signed a contract with american title to go back to work for them, if he wins the election!
Now the title and real estate business being what it is, with most of the work straigtening out titles on foreclosures there isn't a lot of growth in the market.
So brent decides he now is tough on crime and wants to send graffiti painters to boot camp. Does he know that TYC is practically closing all its facilities because, 1) they are not as cheap or 2)as effectives supervised probation and treatment or group homes. One of other reasons is that little TYC scandal that ended up finding out that a third of the kids in TYC had been sexually abused while in the facities by other kids and staff.
* October 9, 2010
* 8:25 p.m.
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Smoke writes:
Now this is a lose-lose situation,one is totally useless,and the other is completely worthless.Brings to mind KBH running against Perry,you lose either way.
* October 9, 2010
* 8:31 p.m.
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ridley writes:
The ct should report on the factual basis of the two statements. Carl Lewis requested an increase in attorneys fees from $40/hr out of court and $60/hr in court to $60 & $80 shortly before he died. that is still 30% less than adult court and half of what federal appointments pay. that alone would increase the budget's biggest non stable item, attorney fees.
Lewis' budget in the two years between 1999-2001 (in 2000-2001 $590,000)would have been signficantly higher than shamsies had the attorney fees been what they were when shamsie took office thats not accounting for any inflation in the rest of the budget in ten years.
the budget is largely driven by caseload, when the recession hit the cps caseload went up 30%, the majority of them children from 0-2 years old, with lots of medical and other problems. thats expensive. The caseload jumped to 400 kids in care, with 50 or so turning over every month.
Notice the county has ten slots for highly secure care such as tyc, group care, intensive long term drug treatment, and brent wants to use them for putting graffiti kids in boot camp. maybe they will drag them around behind a van like the SA boot camp did that 15year old girl. Most kids who go to tyc come out worse, they are mixed with much sicker kids that come from even worse environments.
Ultimately, the job is about what to do to help a young person get on the right track. the vast majority of the children are there because of abuse and neglect, brent didnt mention what he would do about those. kids with lots of love and support dont usually end up in these situations. Juvenile court is for intervention and treatment not punishment. the law, science, religion, philosophy, criminology psychology all agree children are fundamentally not mature enough to make good decisions for themselves and when they make bad ones it is because they have not been loved, been abused, or neglected, including their socialization and development.
I understand the cops frustration with juveniles you cant treat them like adults. Cops always want everyone thrown in jail for as long as they can get them there, but any old lawman will tell, you cant arrest and and jail your way free of crime because it doesnt deal with the causes.
He thinks the most important problem is graffiti and Shamsie thinks it is alcohol and drugs in families and kids. Hmmm...Brent Chesney was appointed in three cases to represent children in the County Court of Law 5, three times he was a no show one time he didnt even know where the child was. He was probably too busy texting.
* October 9, 2010
* 8:37 p.m.
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haceunano writes:
That Chesney, it ain't right. He confused some people because first they thought he was going to run for Commissioner and ends up running for Judge. I wonder how many applications this guy is going to submit (RTA, City Manager), oh boy!
