for
Texas Supreme Court
Place 2
Randy Sarosdy
A Democrat to Serve
Texas with Integrity
Meet Randy
Randy Sarosdy is running as a Democrat for the Texas Supreme Court Place 2. A trial lawyer for thirty years and a judicial educator for fifteen years, Randy has a comprehensive knowledge of the law and the Texas judicial system. As a member of the Texas Supreme Court, he would apply the law fairly and impartially, without political influence or partisan consideration, and protect Texans’ fundamental rights.
Randy is a native Texan, born in Dallas and raised by a single mom who was a public-school teacher. After graduating from Killeen High School, Randy went to the College of William and Mary in Virginia, and to the University of Texas School of Law where he was an Associate Editor of the Texas Law Review.
Randy practiced law for 30 years with the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld in Washington, D.C. and Austin, serving as lead trial and appellate counsel in complex commercial, intellectual property, energy, and labor cases throughout the country. From 1998 through 2001, he led the firm’s litigation section in Washington, D.C. and was an Adjunct Professor of Law at George Mason University School of Law. He was honored to be named by Chambers USA as one of America’s leading business lawyers and was rated AV (the highest rating) by Martindale Hubbell.
Randy left the private practice of law to dedicate his career to judicial education: making sure that the judges of this state receive the best continuing education and resources possible to enable them to effectively serve our fellow Texans.
As General Counsel of the Texas Justice Court Training Center he taught Justices of the Peace to resolve the disputes placed before them fairly, equitably, and in accordance with the law. As Executive Director of the Texas Center for the Judiciary, he was responsible for the development and administration of judicial education for district, county court at law, and appellate judges throughout Texas.
Over the last 15 years he has taught hundreds of classes to judges throughout the state and has answered thousands of legal questions relating to cases pending in their courts. He has a comprehensive knowledge of the Texas Court system and the challenges faced by its judges and the people who appear before them.
Randy is a lifelong Democrat who has been active in his community, coaching youth soccer, refereeing swim meets, participating in Swim Across America to raise money for cancer research, and volunteering for the Micah 6 food pantry and the Seedling Foundation. He is a member of the Congregational Church of Austin, United Church of Christ.
Randy took up the sport of triathlon after watching his son compete in a race in 2009, and he has completed 100 triathlons and many half marathons and running and swimming events.
Randy and his wife, Molly, are blessed to have four adult children. In their spare time they enjoy hiking in the Big Bend, Guadalupe Mountains, and the Grand Canyon, among other places.
Why Support Randy for the Texas Supreme Court?
To Safeguard our Democratic Institutions
The great Chief Justice John Marshall stated: “It is emphatically the province and duty of the Judicial Department to say what the law is.” For this reason, our courts are essential to the preservation of our democratic institutions, many of which have recently been under attack. The Court must be ever vigilant as the guardian of these institutions which ensure our liberty and freedom.
To Protect our Fundamental Rights
The fundamental rights of all Texans are not guaranteed solely by the United States Constitution. They are protected as much or more by the Texas Constitution, which has its own Bill of Rights in Article 1. If the fundamental rights of the citizens of Texas are no longer deemed protected by the United States Constitution, it may fall to the Texas Supreme Court to carefully consider whether those rights are still protected by the Texas Constitution, if and when a case raising such issues comes before the Court.
To Enhance Public Confidence
We must enhance public confidence in the Texas Supreme Court. The Court must maintain its independence and avoid undue influence by members of the executive branch, including the current Attorney General. Judges must set aside any concern about drawing a primary opponent in the next election should they issue an opinion affirming Constitutional rights with which executive branch officials do not agree (as has occurred in this election cycle with all three judges up for re-election on the Court of Criminal Appeals). Public confidence in the judiciary will be eroded if the public believes judges are afraid to follow the law due to political pressure from other government officials.
A Pledge to Texas
Randy’s pledge, if elected, is to apply the law fairly and impartially, without political influence or partisan consideration, and to do his best to ensure that all Texans are treated equally under the law and that fundamental rights guaranteed by the Texas Constitution are fully safeguarded and protected.
Randy’s Unique Perspective
I believe in the rule of law, that the law applies equally to all regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin, and that no one is above the law regardless of status or prior office.
During my 15 years as a judicial educator, I have travelled and spoken to judges in just about every county in Texas. I often met with judges to discuss how to best handle cases in their courts or how to set bail and bond conditions to better protect the community while ensuring the rights of the accused to a fair trial. I worked closely with them on mental health issues and appointment of counsel for indigent defendants. Every year these judges hear tens of thousands of cases that touch the lives of everyday Texans.
What I found is that no matter where a citizen of our state lives – whether in a small rural area or a big city, whether in the High Plains of West Texas or among the pine trees of East Texas, or in the Rio Grande Valley or along the Gulf Coast or Red River – all Texans strive to be good, caring, hard-working people with values of honesty and decency. We teach our children to aspire to these same values. If you have a flat tire on the side of the road, some good-hearted Texan is going to stop and give you a hand – and they are not going to ask you first what your political beliefs are!
We need to get back to embracing each other as good, decent fellow citizens (despite our occasional differences) and never demean or disrespect any Texan just because of where they come from or who they might be.
I have seen up close the positive side of the ordinary people of this great State as well as the many judges who serve our citizens. If elected, it would be my greatest privilege to work on behalf of all the people of Texas to do my best to provide fair, impartial, and equal justice while ensuring that the fundamental rights of all Texans are fully protected and secured.
“And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8.