Lake Dallas attorney Robert Ramirez will replace Judge Margaret Barnes as the Denton County Republican Party’s nominee on the November general election ballot for the County Court at Law #2.
Judge Barnes had won the party’s primary in March, but was recently selected by the GOP precinct chairs to replace Judge Lee Gabriel on the November ballot for the367th District Court.
The substitution for Judge Gabriel was necessary as she had been selected by the 12 county chairs in the 2nd Court of Appeals district to become the GOP nominee for that court’s Place 7 on the November ballot. Subsequently, she has formally withdrawn from the Denton County ballot, as has Judge Barnes after her selection for the 367th district court bench.
The ballot vacancy for County Court at Law #2 necessitated a special meeting of the GOP’s County Executive Committee, which is composed of approximately 95 precinct chairs, and, in accordance with state law, Mr. Ramirez was selected on July 21st.
According to County Chairman Dianne Edmondson, there were 70 chairs in attendance and Ramirez was selected by majority vote on the second ballot.
Ramirez and his wife, Laura Corpender, have a law practice in Lake Dallas, which includes probate and estate administration, general civil litigation and guardianships. The court deals with civil cases involving more than $500 but less than $100,000, and also with appeals of final rulings and decisions of the division of workers’ compensation of the Texas Department of Insurance regarding workers’ compensation claims, regardless of the amount in controversy.
A graduate of three prestigious Texas schools, Ramirez received a BBA from the St Mary’s University School of Business, an MBA from Texas A&M Graduate School of Business and a Juris Doctorate cum laude from Southern Methodist University.
Active in the community, Ramirez sits on the Board of PediPlace, is a trustee of the Denton County Baptist Association and has been on the Board for the Denton County Children’s Advocacy Center. He also is active in several Republican clubs and was in a run-off earlier this year for the Denton County Probate Court bench. Denton attorney Bonnie Robison ultimately won that race.
“Robert showed the precinct chairs his deep commitment to Republican principles as well as his legal qualifications for this bench,” explained Dianne Edmondson, Denton County Republican Chairman. “But it was a difficult decision for them because of the other well-qualified lawyers who were asking for the ballot appointment.”
The other candidates included George Micham, Chance Oliver and Brody Shanklin. Each had significant support within the CEC, Chairman Edmondson reports, and each has vowed to remain active within the DCRP.
Following the CEC recommendation, County Commissioners Court is expected to quickly appoint Ramirez to the bench on an interim basis, so that he can take over as soon as Judge Barnes moves to the District Court bench.
All three judges will be sworn in on August 1st at 2:00 p.m. at the Courthouse on the Square, according to County Judge Mary Horn. Refreshments will be served by the Denton Republican Women’s Club to which all three judges belong.
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