Darlene Byrne

Byrne received her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center. She worked as a private practice attorney.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Darlene Byrne and I am running for the Chief Justice of the Third Court of Appeals in Austin, Texas. Since 2001, I have been privileged to serve as a District Judge in the 126th Judicial District Court in Travis County. I have a proven track record of serving my constituents, working hard on and off the bench, and am fortunate enough to have been recognized for judicial leadership accomplishments and contributions to the community. I am a firm believer in running my court according to best practices, using peer-vetted model courts, and data driven practices when available. After 20 years at the district court level, I have decided to pursue the next phase of my career at the appellate court level. As a judge who presided over literally thousands of hearings each year and who has led a national judges organization, I am the most qualified candidate to lead the Austin Court of Appeals as its Chief Justice.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

EFFICACY I understand the urgency of justice when dealing with people who find themselves in Court. Time is of the essence when making decisions that impact the lives of real Texans, whether that be in family court, civil court, or criminal court. I will take this same sense of urgency with me to the Appellate Court so that people's lives do not languish with delayed justice through delayed decision making.ENGAGEMENT Getting off the bench and supporting my community as a volunteer is important to my understanding of the needs of the community I serve, and knowing what is important to my community. Through this type of active engagement, I not only thrive on giving back, but stay grounded and in touch with the people I am entrusted to serve.LEADERSHIP I am not afraid of hard work and long hours, both on and off the bench. I have led a national judges' organization, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, on their board for a decade and as its President in 2015. These are but a few of her leadership roles, many of which have taken her all across the country to teach and consult other jurisdictions on best practices when it comes to making judicial decisions.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I believe in the urgency of justice and efficient, timely and just decisions for all who appear before me, whether that be children, families, children, individuals, businesses or governmental entities. I believe in running a court by being data driven, best practice oriented and research based.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

EFFICACY

I understand the urgency of justice when dealing with people who find themselves in Court. Time is of the essence when making decisions that impact the lives of real Texans, whether that be in family court, civil court, or criminal court. I will take this same sense of urgency with me to the Appellate Court so that people's lives do not languish with delayed justice through delayed decision making.

ENGAGEMENT

Getting off the bench and supporting my community as a volunteer is important to my understanding of the needs of the community I serve, and knowing what is important to my community. Through this type of active engagement, I not only thrive on giving back, but stay grounded and in touch with the people I am entrusted to serve.

LEADERSHIP

I am not afraid of hard work and long hours, both on and off the bench. I have led a national judges' organization, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, on their board for a decade and as its President in 2015. These are but a few of her leadership roles, many of which have taken her all across the country to teach and consult other jurisdictions on best practices when it comes to making judicial decisions.

Key messages

Byrne submitted the following key messages to [the profile publisher] on February 19, 2020.[8]

Key Messages:

EFFICACY

I understand the urgency of justice when dealing with people who find themselves in Court. Time is of the essence when making decisions that impact the lives of real Texans, whether that be in family court, civil court, or criminal court. I will take this same sense of urgency with me to the Appellate Court so that people’s lives do not languish with delayed justice through delayed decision making.

ENGAGEMENT

Getting off the bench and supporting my community as a volunteer is important to my understanding of the needs of the community I serve, and knowing what is important to my community. Through this type of active engagement, I not only thrive on giving back, but stay grounded and in touch with the people I am entrusted to serve.

LEADERSHIP

I am not afraid of hard work and long hours, both on and off the bench. I have led a national judges’ organization, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, on their board for a decade and as its President in 2015. These are but a few of her leadership roles, many of which have taken her all across the country to teach and consult other jurisdictions on best practices when it comes to making judicial decisions.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I believe in the urgency of justice and efficient, timely and just decisions for all who appear before me, whether that be children, families, children, individuals, businesses or governmental entities. I believe in running a court by being data driven, best practice oriented and research based.[9]