Long-time Justice of Peace David Karr to run for re-election
By J.J. Smith. Long-time Rockwall County resident and Justice of the Peace for Precincts 1 & 4 David Karr has announced his intention to campaign for re-election in the March 2 Republican Primary.
Assistant Garland Fire Chief Jack James and Associate Judge Michelle Sutton are also running for the position.
For 26 years the Royse City resident has served Rockwall County as a Justice of the Peace. He was first elected in 1971 – 1982, and then re-elected from 1996 through the present. In 1995 he was appointed to complete Justice Bill Bell’s term after Bell was appointed County Judge. He also served as a Royse City Municipal Judge from 1974-78.
“It has been a privilege and an honor to serve the citizens of Rockwall County,” said Judge Karr. “The Justice of the Peace position is the least understood office in county government. It is more than marrying couples and paying traffic tickets.”
The magistrate said that if re-elected, he will not need further training, because he has already received 500 hours of mandated training from the Texas Justice of the Peace Court Training Center sponsored by Texas State University-San Marcos, which is governed by the Texas Supreme Court.
The training included duties of a magistrate, penal code, code of criminal procedure, rules of evidence and enforcement of judgments, residential and commercial evictions, traffic laws, family violence, death inquests, emergency mental commitments and credit card filings.
“I have the experience,” he said. “I will not have to have on-the-job training. If it is not broke, don’t fix it. The voters will determine if it’s broke. I intend to run a clean race. I intend to run on my record: fair, impartial, caring.”
Judge Karr said he has lived in the same precinct in Rockwall County for 65 years. He graduated from Rockwall High School in 1963 and attended East Texas State University (now Texas A&M – Commerce for four years.
He and his wife, Carolyn, have two daughters who also graduated from Rockwall High School, Wendy Karr and Tracy McDonald.
For more information, call 214-549-6002 or email tuffjudge@yahoo.com.
