Good afternoon to everyone.  This is a brief update on my campaign for the 10th District Court in Galveston County.  Please pass this on to any others whom you think would be interested.

First, today is the deadline to register to vote in the May 29 primary.  If you have not already done so, get a voter registration card to the Tax Assessor-Collector today.

One of my opponents has been quite active.  He has filed Open Record requests with the County, asking whether I am on a list of attorneys who receive criminal appointments, and also asked for the number of civil cases and criminal cases I have had in recent years.

The first request could have been easily answered if he had asked.  Here is the background.  I was forced to accept criminal appoints for about the first half of my career, as we had a District Judge who felt every lawyer should be involved in defending indigent defendants.  When he retired, the remaining judges changed the process, and only those who wanted criminal appointments were put on the list.  Up to that time, I had been appointed on one murder case, two rapes, many burglaries and drug cases, and even a few juvenile offenses.  But I had no desire to be a criminal defense attorney, so I did not get on the list.

If the implication is that I do not know criminal law, that is simply not true.  While I do not accept criminal appointments, I have still continued to be involved with the criminal justice system in several ways.  I simply do not make my living off the taxpayers of Galveston County, who pay for appointed lawyers - to the tune of over $2 million last year.  I also do not practice Constitutional law, but that has not prevented me from giving speeches and presentations all around the State of Texas on Constitutional law issues.

As far as numbers of cases, I decided to see what I could find out with a few key strokes.  I searched the County's website, and learned one of my opponents had been involved in 44 civil case, but only a few were not divorces or family law matters.  The 10th District Count does not handle family law.  The opponent who had requested the information only had 14 cases, and he was an actual party (plaintiff or defendant) in about 6 of those. 

When I searched under my name, the response listed 200 cases, and then had the following message:  "The search resulted in too many matches to display."  I think that tells you a lot!  Several people have asked me how many cases I have had in Galveston County, and I have to guess over 33 years it would be in the thousands.

The bottom line is I have the background and experience to be the Judge of the 10th District Court.  My opponents simply don't have that.  I hope you will agree.

I am sure many of you received the mail-out from the Conservative Republicans of Texas, in which I was endorsed.  There was a sample ballot in that form, which can be cut from the larger piece and taken into the poll with you.  I believe there may be other groups making endorsements in the near future, and hope we are listed in them.  I will keep you informed.

We are now about two weeks until the start of early voting.  I would ask you to look at your email lists, Rolodex, address book, etc., and contact your family and friends and ask them to vote for me.

More information on my background can be found at:   www.kerrynevesforjudge.com.  That site also covers my Republican credentials and experience.

We also will need people to work the polls during early voting and on the day of the primary, May 29.  If you can volunteer an hour, a day or any amount of time, please contact me.

As always, I ask for your vote in the race for the 10th District Court.  Thanks for your support and backing.

Kerry