Anna for District Judge

The 428th is a new court, formed a year ago. The governor appointed Bill Henry as its first judge. But Henry had no judicial and limited legal experience, just a short stint in the Hays DA’s office right out of law school dealing with misdemeanor lawsuits and bond forfeitures, and several years in legal practice.

Perhaps lack of experience in areas of law pertinent to the District Court is one reason the San Marcos Police Officers Association withdrew their endorsement of Bill Henry and the Fraternal Order of Police Hill Country Lodge #23 endorsed Anna Martinez-Boling, who is challenging Henry. It’s significant that two different law enforcement organizations demonstrate no confidence in the man who has held the office for a year. They’re in a position to observe the appointee’s rulings more closely than most.

By contrast, Boling has broad experience, as a prosecutor, a defense attorney, in family and civil law, and as a mediator. A former prosecutor in the El Paso Defense Attorney’s office, Boling served on the DA’s Drug Task Force. She’d graduated from SWT and returning to San Marcos, she opened a private practice in defense, family, and civil law. Later she decided to train as a mediator and specialize in family and civil law, focussing on resolving or minimizing conflicts through mediation rather than litigation.

The 428th District Court was designed to hear cases in criminal, civil, and family law. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, Judge Henry chooses to hear just criminal and civil cases, leaving family cases to another judge. Mrs. Boling has a far broader background for the job than Bill Henry does. With her prosecutorial experience and her personal philosophy of defusing conflict through mediation wherever possible in civil and family law cases, she’ll be an outstanding judge for our county.

Boling is deeply respected by those who know her gifts and talents, hard work and family values, commitment to serving her community, and her personal integrity. Boling will be a big improvement over Bill Henry. Hays County needs her leadership and vision on the court.