108th District Court judge election runoff: Meet Sam Brown Silverman
Sam Brown Silverman, a lifelong resident of Amarillo, is seeking to fill the shoes of Judge Douglas Woodburn of the 108th District Court in the upcoming election to fill his seat.
Silverman graduated from the University of Houston Law School in 1988 and has been a practicing lawyer since 1990. Both his parents were lawyers, and Silverman has served in private practice since 2004. He has had his solo practice since 2004 and has primarily done criminal defense work but has experience in real estate tax work and many other case types. His record with the Texas Bar has only one blemish from 2005 due to a mistake in a traffic case, which put him on a six-month probationary period in which he could still practice law.
“I did not initially plan to be a judge, but after looking at what my career looked like, I felt I finally had enough experience to be a good judge,” Silverman said. “When Judge Woodburn announced he was going to retire, this helped me make my decision. I thought I was going to be a happy little solo practitioner until I retired, but this changed things.”
When asked why he thinks he is a good choice to replace Woodburn, Silverman felt that he brings a unique set of experiences to the job.
“The work I have done in criminal practice is well suited to what the job entails,” he said. “The court also hears civil litigation, real estate, tax and family matters, and I have been involved in many cases of this type. I am genuinely concerned that we have a conservative judge on the court, and I am best suited to be in that position.”
Early voting for the May 28 Republican Primary Runoff Election runs Monday, May 20 through Friday, May 24 in Potter County. The sole race on the ballot is for the 108th Judicial District Judge, between Tim Pirtle and Silverman.
While he respects his opponent, Silverman says that he is a constitutional conservative who is well-suited to the task at hand as a trial judge.
“What that means is that I believe that trial judges should follow the law and apply the law as written to the facts of the case,” he said. “Trial courts are subject to the controlling case authority, and we are not supposed to be in the business of supplanting our judgment with that of the legislature. I believe that being conservative means not being an activist one way or the other. My individual opinions do not matter; it is what is the law and facts of the case.”
Silverman says a key component of the judgeship is making the court work on the backlog and taking care of as many cases as possible.
“This is a court that hears about 75% felony cases, with the rest being civil,” he said. “I currently have many family court cases and worked with my mom on many of these cases. I have a well-rounded experience that I would be very familiar with in the court. Everything that goes on with this court is a field of law that I am familiar with."
In Silverman’s opinion, personal beliefs should not dictate judicial decisions.
“Trial courts should apply the law as written and not make policy,” he said. “We are not supposed to be rewriting statutes or making biased interpretations of statutes. The way legislation is written is specific, so we should follow the law. In my job, with my experience, putting your feelings aside and working the case as needed is easy. I am immensely proud of my work as an attorney, and I enjoy helping people, which is why I became a lawyer.”
Silverman says that good people in judgeships are vital to the community.
“I will enjoy being a judge, because what a judge does every day affects people’s lives, whether it's a criminal or civil matter,” he said. “There are always parties whose lives have been affected or will be affected by what a judge decides. Understanding that there are real consequences for real people is paramount. When it comes to cases being disposed of, sometimes there is a certain amount of discretion regarding what punishment is to be levied or whether there is probation or deferred adjudication. So, as a judge, you must consider the interests of society and the victims in deciding the case. I take this as a serious obligation and responsibility I am prepared to undertake.”
With this election, Silverman encourages everyone to vote because of the importance of holding elected officials to the task of those they represent.
“It is important that justice is not only done, but the appearance of justice is considered,” Silverman said. “The justice system works for the people and works for them. Justice should not just appear that it is getting to the right answer, but also make sure that folks appreciate and understand why a decision was made. People want to make sure that the judge selected is fair. A judge needs to uphold the constitution and the laws of Texas to protect the community, and I passionately believe that.”
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Silverman points to experience in law career for 108th District Court
