TLR urges voters to keep Lincoln in mind when voting for Texas SC justices

AUSTIN (Legal Newsline) - A legal watchdog group is hoping Texas voters remember the words of Abraham Lincoln, who urged Americans to "discourage litigation" when voting for Republican Texas Supreme Court candidates.

In his "Notes on a Law Lecture," Lincoln said, "Never stir up litigation. A worse man can scarcely be found than one who does this."

On Presidents' Day, Texans for Lawsuit Reform issued a press release, stating Lincoln's message is especially important for Republican primary voters this year because a small group of personal injury trial lawyers are bankrolling a slate of challengers to the Texas Supreme Court.

As previously reported, the Republican candidates challenging the incumbents have received the bulk of their donations from Plaintiff's attorney Mark Lanier and attorneys with connections to his firm, the Lanier Law Firm in Houston.

In the March primary, Chief Justice Nathan Hecht will square off against former state Rep. Robert E. Talton. Justice Phil Johnson will face appellate Justice Sharon McCally. And Justice Jeff Brown is challenged by Joe Pool.

"Most of these personal injury trial lawyers are liberal Democrats who are trying to infiltrate the party of Lincoln and the GOP primary in an effort to remove three principled conservative jurists who have helped make the Texas Supreme Court one of the most admired appellate courts in the country," the TLR press release states.

The press release goes on to say that Talton is a personal injury trial lawyer and a politician, not a judge. His only experience was as a traffic judge two decades ago.

Furthermore, personal injury trial lawyers throughout her career have bankrolled Johnson's opponent, McCally. And Brown's opponent, Pool, not only has no judicial experience, but also has received a public reprimand from the State Bar of Texas.

Texas voters can vote in the Republican Primary starting on Tuesday, Feb. 18 through Friday, Feb. 28.

Reach David Yates at elections@legalnewsline.com.