When a big change arrives, even an obvious one, it can be difficult to accept. We all can look at reality and deny what is before our eyes.
That’s not how the civil legal system works in most places. Thanks to a recent Texas Supreme Court decision, that’s not how civil cases should be handled in Bexar County, perhaps as soon as July 1.
Under changes the Texas Supreme Court has approved, each civil case will remain with the same judge from start to finish. This is how things work in most court systems across the country.
Naturally, Bexar County officials are resisting this change.
“Because there is no prohibition of the current system, we will continue to rely on it to serve our community come July 1,” Judge Angelica Jimenez wrote in an email, according to an article by Express-News reporter Patrick Danner.
We can’t say this clearly enough to Jimenez and other Bexar County officials: It’s over. The presiding system is done. The Texas Supreme Court is crystal clear on this, and Bexar County officials would do well to recognize reality.
Defenders of the presiding system say it is cost-effective, and ensures speedy access to justice and quick resolutions to simple cases. OK, but it also moves cases from judge to judge, requires attorneys to rehash details, and opens the door to inconsistent rulings and judicial interpretations.
We are all for this change because we believe cases should be heard from start to finish by the same judge, and we have faith Bexar County officials are competent to create pathways to ensure speedy access to the courts for simple or urgent matters.
Change is hard. The presiding system has been in effect for 64 years. But it’s over. Get real, Bexar County.