March 6, 2011

Dear Dallas County Voters,

I wanted to thank each of you for returning me to a second term as the Presiding Judge of the 68th Civil District Judge in Dallas County. I am truly honored and humbled by the faith you have placed in me. I was re-elected with the highest number of votes of over 200 candidates on the general election ballot in Dallas County. During my first term, I significantly improved efficiency in my court; developed an innovative program to address home equity foreclosures; provided leadership inside and outside the courthouse; and presided over numerous high profile, complicated cases.

As a judge, I have brought the ideals of fairness and equality to the courtroom. Under my leadership, I have instituted a new Foreclosure Mediation Program that has helped Dallas County families avoid foreclosure on their homes. I have always maintained a commitment to a trial by jury and respect and fairness for all participants. In December of 2010, I was elected by the over ten thousand members of the Dallas Bar Association to Board of Directors, where I am currently the only judge elected to that board.

  1. Judicial efficiency and fairness—
    1. Proven efficient case management —In the last annual budget report by Dallas County, the 68th District Court had the lowest pending case count, lowest total expenses and second lowest case cost per disposition among the thirteen civil district courts.
    2. Reduced waiting time for hearings — The 68th District court has increased the number of hearings scheduled on the hearing docket, which has cut the waiting time for parties to get hearings by half. Worked closely with the associate judge who is assigned to the court to process default judgments more expeditiously.
    3. Respected by the legal community — One of the highest approval rates among the Civil District judges in the most recent Dallas Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Poll. Rated as “qualified” by the bi-partisan Committee for a Qualified Judiciary in both of my judicial elections (qualified is the highest level attainable by this organization).
  2. Leadership Inside the Courthouse-
    1. Presiding Judge of the George Allen Courthouse Central Jury Room (2009) — Elected by the other twenty two judges at the George Allen Courthouse to serve as the presiding judge of the Central Jury Room. Spearheaded the implementation of new jury services software that allows jurors to register for jury service on the internet and allows for more frequent updates of the jury “wheel”. Implemented a new program for judges to address the Central Jury Room about the importance of jury service. Led a group of judges and attorneys in creating the first new juror orientation video in over 20 years in Dallas County.
    2. Asbestos Liaison (2007-2011) — elected by the thirteen other Civil District Judges to serve as a liaison between the Asbestos MDL Judge and the five County Court at Law and 13 Civil District Judges.
    3. Clerk-Coordinator Seminar co-chair (2009-2011) and organizer (2007-2011)—organized the Clerk-Coordinator seminar for all the state and county courts in Dallas Courts. Average 100-150 attendees each year for the last four years.
  3. Leadership Outside the Courthouse-
    1. Dallas Bar Association, Board of Directors — Elected in December 2010 to serve as the only judicial representative among the elected members of DBA Board of Directors by the over 10,000 members of the Dallas Bar. Extensive involvement with the Dallas Bar Association and the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers.
    2. CLE presenter and organizer — Participated and presented in dozens of CLE activities. The most notable of these Continuing Legal Education seminars was the DAYL Jury Selection: Tips and Tricks—CLE organizer, presenter and mock trial judge. Over a dozen judges, twenty senior lawyers, sixty young lawyers and seventy law students participated in this program. Organizer and CLE presenter with Michael Hurst and Lisa Blue. This program received 1st place Service to the Bar award for the 2008-2009 Local Affiliate Awards from the Texas Young Lawyers Association and an Award of Special Recognition from the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division.
    3. Judicial Internship Program — Extensive involvement with the American Bar Association Judicial Internship Opportunity Program and the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers program. Supervised over 30 law students, 3 economically disadvantaged high school students, 2 new lawyers and a small number of pre-law students in my court. Recruited judges to participate in the ABA JIOP program for minority and economically disadvantaged students. Presented to law students at the courthouse (University of Texas, Texas Tech and Baylor Law Schools) and at law schools (University of Texas, Baylor and Southern Methodist University) about these programs. Only judge to be provided an Award of Recognition from the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers for work with the judicial internship program during the last four years. Served as the judicial liaison to the DBA Student Law Intern Program for DISD high school students for the last four years. Conducted tours of the courthouse and made presentations during the last two years for that program.
    4. Vision 2020 Committee judicial liaison — Selected as the sole judicial liaison to the Vision 2020 Committee. This committee was charged with developing a long term plan for the Dallas Bar. Personally charged with establishing a committee of judges to map out the challenges facing the judiciary over the next decade. The committee prepared a report that will provide the blue print for the future of the Dallas County judiciary.
    5. DBA Ad Hoc Committee on Update to Local Rules, Co-chair — appointed by fellow Civil District judges to explore updates to Dallas County Local Rules. Committee created draft of proposed amendments to Local Rules which are currently under consideration by the Civil District judges.

I look forward to serving you during my second term.
Sincerely,

Judge Martin Hoffman


JUDGE HOFFMAN'S ENDORSEMENTS

ELECTED OFFICIALS

Hon. Roberto Alonzo, State Representative
Hon. John Ames, Dallas County Tax Assessor Collector
Hon. Rafael Anchia, State Representative
Hon. Juan Ayala, Former President of Dallas County Young Democrats
Hon. Frederick Barrow, Former President of J.L. Turner Law Association
Hon. E. Steve Bolden, Former President of J.L. Turner Law Association
Hon. David Bradley, State Democratic Executive Committee Member
Hon. Susan Culp, State Executive Committee Member
Hon.Yvonne Davis, State Representative
Hon. Kirk England, State Representative
Hon. Delia Jasso
Hon. Gary Fitzsimmons, Dallas County District Clerk
Hon. Domingo Garcia, Former State Representative
Hon. Jesse Garcia, Former President of Stonewall Democrat Club
Hon. David Griggs, State Democratic Executive Committee Member
Hon. Renee Hartley, President of the Dallas County Young Democrats
Hon. Ann Hubener, Dallas County School Board
Hon. Angela Hunt, Dallas City Council
Hon. Joe Kendall, Former Judge
Hon. Carol Kent, State Representative
Hon. Charles McGarry, Former Chief Justice Dallas Court of Appeals
Hon. Michael McPhail, Former President of Irving Democratic Club
Hon. Adam Medrano, Dallas ISD School Board
Hon. Pauline Medrano, Dallas City Council
Hon. Robert Miklos, State Representative
Hon. Tim Mountz, Former DBA President
Hon. John Wiley Price, Dallas County Commissioner
Hon. Jennifer Roberts, Former President of the Dallas County Young Democrats
Hon. Barbara Rosenberg, Former Justice Dallas Court of Appeals
Hon. Maricela Siewczynski, Former President DHBA
Hon. Dena DeNooyer Stroh, President of the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
Hon. Allen Vaught, State Representative
Hon. John Warren, Dallas County Clerk
Hon. Mary Warren, President of Park Cities/Central Dallas Democrats
Hon. Craig Watkins, Dallas County District Attorney
Hon. Joe Wells, Dallas County Treasurer
Hon. Royce West, State Senator
Hon. Martha Williams, State Democratic Executive Committee Member

ATTORNEYS

Charla Aldous
Jerry Alexander
Stephanie Baenisch
Barry C. Barnett
Shelbi Barnhouse
Frederick Barrow
Luis Bartolomei
Edwin G. Bell
Melissa Bellan
Jason Berent
Clint C. Blackman III
E. Steve Bolden II
Dan S. Boyd
George Bramblett
Jeff Bragalone
Debbie Branson
Frank Branson
Quentin Brogdon
Lee Brown
Kevin Buchanan
Mary Burdin
Ophelia Camina
John Carney
Leon Carter
Stephanie Clouston
Robert M. Cohan
David Cole
Bill Compton
R Brent Cooper
Jim E. Cowles
Trey Cox
Greg W. Curry
Richard G. Danner, Jr.
William B. Dawson
Jason Dennis
Karl Dial
Tim Durst
Jason Eichman
Jay English
Ernest E. Figari, Jr.
Diana Flores
Jason Franklin
Veretta Frazier
Tim Gavin
Laura Geisler
Paul Genender
Brian Gerron
Mark W. Gilbert
Don Godwin
Brett Govett
Ray Green
W. David Griggs
Mike Gruber
Hugh E. Hackney
Barbara T. Hale
Doug Haloftis
John Helms
Michael Heygood
Paul Hicks
Ladd Hirsch
Rob Hoffman
Vester Hughes
Brian J. Hurst
Michael Hurst
Andrew Jee
Price Johnson
Wesley Johnson
P. Michael Jung
Akbar Kabani
Krissi Kastl
Kathleen M. Kearney
Joe Kendall
David Kent
Jon Kettles
Phillip Kingston
Jason Kipness
Robbie Partida-Kipness
Monica Latin
Ernest Laun
Rodney Lawson
Thomas S. Leatherbury
Jeff Levinger
Bill Liebbe
Kelly Liebbe
Paul A. Lock
Alan S. Loewinsohn
Heather Long
David Lubin
David G. Luther, Jr.
Mike Lynn
Roger Mandel
Wimer D. Masterson
John McElhaney
Scott M. McElhaney
Charles McGarry
Sonja McGill
Mike McKool
Mary Alice McLarty
Scott McMichael
Tahira Khan Merritt
Mike Metcalf
Clay Miller
Jim Mitchell
Jennifer Morris
Thomas Morris
Tim Mountz
Bob Mow
Christopher Nolland
Jim Orr
Michael L. Parham
Eric Pinker
Jill A. Pollack
Tex Queseda
Jeffrey Rasansky
Angel Reyes
Dean Riddle
Jennifer Roberts
James S. Robertson III
Ray Rodriguez
Rudy Rodriguez, Jr.
Marcos Ronquillo
Barbara Rosenberg
Bruce Rothstein
Mohamad Said
Paul Salzberger
Dick Sayles
Chris Schwegmann
John A. Scully
Timothy Sexton
Jody Sheets
Maricela Siewczynski
Kimberly Sims
William D. Sims, Jr.
Richard Smith
Cynthia Solls
Andy Sommerman
Howard Marc Spector
Paul K. Stafford
Marc Stanley
Kenneth K. Stephens
Dena DeNooyer Stroh
Diane Sumoski
Don Templin
Jeff Tillotson
William Toles
Allen Vaught
Jonathan Vinson
Victor Vital
Peter S. Vogel
John Volney
Vincent S. Walkowiak
Paul C. Watler
Lynda Lee Weaver
Henry Wehrman
David Weiner
Shannon L.K. Welch
Robert J. White
Maria Wiemann
Amy K. Witherite
Marquette Wolf
Melvin H. Wolovits

DEMOCRATIC ACTIVISTS AND PRECINCT CHAIRS

Sally Ackerman
Adelpha Callejo
Jeri Arbuckle
Juan J. Ayala
Mark Baker
Jean Ball, Precinct Chair
Jennifer Ball
Winsor Barbee
Marie Benton
Tom Blackwell
Darryl Brigham
Spencer Brown
Lourdes Bugarian, Precinct Chair
Jim Burke
John Bush
Linda Coleman, Precinct Chair
George Collins
Thelma Davis
Dick Dobson
Jamie Dorris
Kevin Felder
Phil Fisher
Alan Fleck
Ed Flasponisa
Gary Garcia
Jesse Garcia
Rebecca Garcia
Sergio Garcia
Emma Garza
Tracy Gerniak
Andrew Goldsmith
Kaye Gooch
Stephen Griggs
Ona Harris
Renee Hartley
Chris Head
Paul Heller
Louis Henry
Gloria James
Tom Jacob
Roger Kallenberg
Jamey Kirby
Russell Langley
Danielle E. Levitt
Michael Li
Hon. Veletta Forsythe Lill
Karen Llewellyn
Linda Love
Michelle Love
Susan Mark
Marty Mathews
Anthony McMullin
Kirk McPike
Richard Medrano
Robert Medrano
Sylvia Medrano
Michael Moon
Erin Moore
Jan Naxon
Gordon Peterson, Precinct Chair
Scott Porter
Walter Ring
Alex Rotenberry
Maricela Siewczynski
Brent Sonntag
Shawn Stephens
Hulen Strunk
John Tackaberrry
Richard Tuck
Andre Turner
Christopher Valdez
James Van Sickle, Precinct Chair
Daniel Vera
Liz Wally
Mary Warren
Charles Whitaker
Jenee Whitener
Elaine Wiant
James Williams
Margaret Williams
Clair Woertendyke
Nanci Woertendyke

JUDGE MARTIN HOFFMAN
68th Civil District Court
Dallas County
 

Pol. adv. paid for by Judge Martin Hoffman Campaign, Monica Latin, Treasurer, in compliance with the voluntary limits of the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act and the Fair Campaign Practices Act.

Please note that this is the Judge Martin Hoffman Campaign web site pertaining to political campaign activities only.  No communication related to any matters of the court will be accepted. 
To contact the court, click here.

The Code of Judicial Conduct, which governs the behavior of judges, prohibits judges from discussing pending cases with anyone, including members of the public.

The Code of Judicial Conduct prohibits judges from commenting or expressing public opinions about any issue that could potentially come before the Court.