Supporters hold event to help re-elect Judge Miller

Supporters held a chili supper for 5th District Judge Bill Miller Thursday evening at the Mattie Lanier Richey Center in support of his re-election campaign in which he thanked his supporters and emphasized his experience on the bench.

Miller has presided over 70 jury trials, hundreds of non-jury trials, and disposed of over 5,000 cases since taking the bench on January 13, 2015.

He said, “My goal every time is that we make sure that we get it right the first time, so we don’t have to do it again because it costs the county money, it costs the tax payers money, it cost the authorities money, and the people who are involved, it’s emotional and it’s hard to do.”

“You got to be fair. You got to get it right. You got to realize that everybody who’s sitting in court in front of you is having a bad day. They’re not there because they want to be there. They’ve got some kind of a problem whether it’s a family law case, whether it’s a custody battle, if it’s a property dispute, or whether it’s a criminal case, you got to give everybody an opportunity to be heard.”

Miller enjoys looking at old records at the courthouse and referenced “The Bench and Bar of Texas” which was published in 1885 and contains biographies of judges and lawyers. He drew laughter from the crowd after sharing a favorite quote.

“A Texas judge should not only be a clear-headed lawyer and of sound judgement but he should have the courage and form to deliver his opinions regardless of danger or threats and sometimes perhaps judgement with a braced pistol sitting on the desk.”

Miller said, “This is the kind of judge that I’d like to be.”

In attendance were local business owners, law enforcement, attorneys, elected officials, family, and friends.

The 5th Judicial District serves the citizens of Bowie and Cass counties in Northeast Texas, bordering Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Miller is currently the 19th presiding judge of the 1876 Court. The 5th District Court hears cases in New Boston, the county seat of Bowie County, and Linden, the county seat of Cass County as well as non-jury matters in Texarkana.