Dallas County

At County Administration Building, a Strong Show of Support for Elections Boss Sherbet

Sam Merten​[Update at 5:28 p.m.: The Elections Commission voted, 4-1, to make Toni Pippins-Poole the "temporary" elections administrator for Dallas County. Which isn't the half of it. Sam will be up in a little while from what he calls "a frustrating" afternoon spent at the Dallas County Administr ... More >>

If Nothing Else, Dallas County's Treatment of Election Boss Bruce Sherbet Is Bringing Dems and GOP Together (For a Protest!)

Bruce Sherbet​A Friend of Unfair Park writes: He's heard whispers of a protest planned for 3:30 tomorrow at the Dallas County Administration Building, where the County Election Commission will meet for the first time in more than two decades. The reason, of course, is the departure of Dallas Count ... More >>

Why Is County Judge Gunning for Elections Chief Bruce Sherbet, "One of the Good Guys"?

Via.Dallas County Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet​[Update: For reasons explained in the piece below, Bruce Sherbet tells Unfair Park he has resigned, effective March 1. He says when he spoke to Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price today, he told him he would work through the May mayor ... More >>

Wanna Know Why We're Fat? Let the Feds Draw You a Map.

Fast food state -- see the pretty, pretty purple.​The only thing worse than coming back from vacation is beating the rest of the world back to work -- especially if you're a reporter waiting for return phone calls. It's been a quiet day in the office. But all that time spent in silence hasn't ... More >>

Texas Attorney General Goes After Okie Payday Lending Firm Pretending to Be Dallas County

​Why, lookie there -- former Dallas Cowboys head coach Barry Switzer's the face of Federal Cash Advance. Makes sense: The payday lender's Oklahoma-based. But, see, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott doesn't take to kindly to the way it runs its bidness down here. Says the AG in a lawsuit filed tod ... More >>

DA Craig Watkins Not About to "Told Ya So" Over AG's Ruling About Hiring Outside Counsel

​As you may be aware, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has issued a ruling intended to put to rest any argument over who has the authority to hire special outside counsel to represent Dallas County in civil matters -- the Dallas County District Attorney or the county commissioners court. Two fol ... More >>

Take a Sip of the Early Election Results

​I'm about to head over to the Palomar for the Republicans' cash-bar shindig, while Sam's pulling pay-as-you-go drinking duty at the AAC with the Dallas County Dems, and Ex-Intern Elliot's eating free pizza with Stephen Broden in Uptown. But before the short pour on this long night (at least, for ... More >>

Ain't No Party Like a Democratic Party Press Conference to Combat "Lies and Mistruths"

Dallas County Democratic PartyEwing leads the Dallas Dem' Super Sunday Rally on October 24​No doubt you've read this morning's story about how the three defense attorneys supporting Danny Clancy for Dallas County District Attorney -- including Toby Shook -- have piled on Craig Watkins, claiming th ... More >>

Larry King, At Least, Salutes Craig Watkins

​As mentioned yesterday, several of the Dallas County exonerees appeared on CNN's Larry King Live last night, where they were joined by the stars of the movie Conviction, The Innocence Project's Barry Sheck and Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins. On the other side you'll find King's int ... More >>

DA Craig Watkins: Punishment or Treatment For DWI Offenders is a "False Choice"

​No doubt you caught at least some of The Dallas Morning News's recently wrapped three-part series on Texas's trouble with properly punishing drunken drivers. Probation instead of prison; back behind the wheel instead of behind bars. Says Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins in a missive ... More >>

Sweatin' It Out With the Justice League!

Photos by Sam MertenState Senator Royce West and county judge candidate Clay Jenkins help pump up the crowd as District Attorney Craig Watkins grabs the mic Saturday afternoon.​This, in case you have not heard, is the "Summer of Justice." Which, as far as summers-of goes, ranks somewhere in betwee ... More >>

Sounds Like DA Craig Watkins's Interview With Evan Smith Is Going to Be Revealing. Ish.

Justin Dehn​It's been interesting this morning, trying to piece together exactly what Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins is telling Texas Tribune editor-in-chief Evan Smith. At this very moment they're doing a TT sitdown at the Austin Club, and I've been following along via Twitter. The ... More >>

Arrest Made in Lower Greenville Shooting

"GOD" apparently led Shakur to the Dallas County Jail.​Eighty-two comments on this blog entry later, looks like friends and foes of Evans Wright, the man who was shot last week in a Lower Greenville parking lot, have finally said their various pieces. Figured so much interest deserves an update: T ... More >>

Driving By a Proposed School Bus Zone Ordinance, Big Budget Cuts (?) and a Crime Plan

This, right here, is the 2010 Dallas Police Department Summer Crime Plan.​Just a programming note for those a fan of the Girl on Top at City Hall: Andrea's liveblogging the council's Housing Committee meeting -- specifically, the 4,293rd hearing involving the Demolition Process for Urban Nuisances ... More >>

OK, So Your Dallas County Property Deed May Have Gotten a Little Soggy Overnight

​I tried to retrieve something from Dallas County's Web site this morning only to discover that, sorry, it ain't responding. Two seconds later, I found this Associated Press story explaining why not: The county's Records Buildings is underwater -- at least, the basement is following a downtown wat ... More >>

As Cleanup Crews Pass Sludge Buckets, Dallas County Predict "Full Power Within 48 Hours"

Photos by Patrick MichelsA Blackmon Mooring cleanup worker handles the mess at the Dallas County Records Building this afternoon. Check after the jump for more shots of the mucky basement.That's a look at the ongoing cleanup effort in the Dallas County Records Building, where a couple dozen rubber-g ... More >>

Coming Soon, Dallas County's Latest Specialty Court for Veterans

District Judge Mike Snipes, who served with the Army's First Infantry Division in Iraq in 2004.Back in January, the paper version of Unfair Park featured Megan Feldman's story on a specialized Dallas County court that's connecting ex-prostitues with treatment and, provided they stick ... More >>

Judge: When Dallas County OK'd $17-Mil Contract, It Didn't Follow State Law

​Maybe you remember: Back in December, locally based Business Resources Corp. sued Dallas County in district court, claiming the commissioners awarded a seven-year, $17.3-million documents-preservation contract to Virginia-based GTSI without ever getting one other bid -- a violation of state law. ... More >>

Who the Hell is Clay Jenkins, And Why Am I Being Told to Vote for Him for County Judge?

Judge Orders Dallas County Clerk's Deposition in Suit Over $17.5 Million No-Bid Contract

Dallas County Clerk John Warren​Must be a legal matter Friday, a legal matter from now on. Because next up on the docket is that suit against Dallas County we've told you about a couple of times before -- the one involving that $17.5 million contract with a Virginia-based company called GTSI, whic ... More >>

Dallas County Commissioners Decide to Leave Security Issues With County Administrator

Photos by Kimberly ThorpeThe Dallas County Commissioners Court at today's meeting​So, yes, the Dallas County Commissioners Court did discuss privatizing security at all Dallas County courthouses and other county-owned-and-operated buildings. Problem was, the commissioners couldn't agree on what to ... More >>

Dallas County Commissioners to Discuss Privatizing Security Forces at County Buildings

There's a chance Dallas County could privatize security at buildings like the George Allen Courthouse downtown.​Flipping through the agenda for today's meeting of the Dallas County Commissioners Court, I came across an interesting item on page 193 concerning potential plans to privatize "all secur ... More >>

Craig Watkins: O.J. Simpson Was Guilty!

Aside from that unsolicited non sequitur intended to illustrate Americans' lack of faith in the judicial system, Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins's tête-à-tête with Stephen Colbert last night was notable only for how relatively straight it played. Colbert tried to draw Watkins offsid ... More >>

To Whom is Royce West Referring?

Sam Merten​Earlier this week, state Sen. Royce West sent to Dallas County Democratic Party precinct chairs a missive beneath the subject heading "From One Democrat to Another." It has become, during the last 48 hours, a subject of much conversation among those who received it. (Well, that's not en ... More >>

Conference Highlights Dallas's Unique Approach to Treating Prostitutes as Victims

​Dallas has developed a growing reputation as one of the few cities in the country to treat prostitutes as victims, whether through unique programs for under-age targets of human trafficking or specialty courts that help convicted sex workers create new lives. And so, two years after the Dallas Po ... More >>

Craig Watkins Believes Today's Exonerations Could Be "Biggest" Yet for Dallas County

Brian HarkinDallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins​On Friday, 54-year-old Claude Alvin Simmons Jr. and 39-year-old Christopher Shun Scott will be free men for the first time since being wrongly sent to prison in October 1997 for the robbery and murder of Alfonso Aguilar. Two other men will ... More >>

John Wiley Price Takes Feud With Dallas County DA Craig Watkins to a National Stage

Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins​While we pull ourselves away from the world's slowest, longest police chase ...The Associated Press checks in today with Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins as he prepares to run for re-election one year from now. (Two weeks ago we met one Re ... More >>

Attorney Claims Dallas County, John Wiley Price Are Keeping Him Out of Bail Bond Biz

​Phillip David Wainscott, who's been licensed to practice law in Texas since 1995, says Dallas County is interfering with his ability to make a living -- and by Dallas County, he really means Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price in his position as a member of the county's Bail Bond Board, ... More >>

Judge Jim Foster Will Investigate Relationship Between County Constables, Tow Company

Dallas County Judge Jim Foster​How timely. Hours ago, Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins rebuked The Dallas Morning News for saying he was "sitting on the sidelines" rather than investigating Dallas County Constables Derick Evans and Jaime Cortes's "too-cozy" relationship with Dowdy Fer ... More >>

Craig Watkins Responds to News Concerning Constables, Tow Company Investigation

Brian HarkinDallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins​On its Web site Friday, The Dallas Morning News ran an editorial concerning Dallas County Constables Derick Evans and Jaime Cortes's "too-cozy" relationship with Dowdy Ferry Auto Service, which is towing thousands of cars under their watch ... More >>

By Appointing Three New Judges, Jim Foster Is Out to "Control Truancy in Dallas County"

LostWackys.com​I honestly can't recall ever receiving a press release from Dallas County Judge Jim Foster. But mere moments ago, up popped this item in the in-box: "Dallas County Gains Three New Truancy Magistrates." The full release follows, but the short version is Foster has appointed former Ci ... More >>

Dallas County Has the Four Horses For Sale, If You've Got the Apocalypse

Skipper, one of four horses Dallas County's auctioning offI was just on my favorite auction site (still kicking myself over not hustling to pick up those DISD band unis last week), where I noticed that Dallas County's selling off ... four horses, perhaps to accompany these gents? Their names: Bo, Ba ... More >>

Court-Ordered Indigestion

Behold, the mouthwatering lunchtime spread at the Dallas County Municipal Courts building. Nothing like stale, B-level vending selections to leave you longing for a sweet taste of freedom. And this is the dining room. Not much in the way of atmosphere, but we hear "faux bois" is all the rage. ... More >>

In Garland Last Night, Craig Watkins and Mike Cantrell Were "Fighting Like Kids"

Brian HarkinIn this corner, Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins ... Last night, Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins pleaded his case against Dallas County-wide budget cuts in the Garland City Council chambers, where a town hall meeting with Dallas County Commissioner Mike Cantrel ... More >>

Wade Emmert Emerges as Party Favorite in GOP Effort to Take Back County Judge Seat

flickr member: cedarhillchurchofchristEmmert is charged with helping the local Republican Party rebound by jumping from a council member in Cedar Hill to Dallas County Judge.At the Dallas County Republican Party's annual Reagan Day Dinner in February, we described Cedar Hill City Council member Wade ... More >>

Lawsuit Alleges Mexico's Consulate in Dallas is a "Lawless World Where Rules Do Not Exist"

If nothing else, attorney Larry Friedman's petition filed yesterday in Dallas County County District Court -- a class action lawsuit in which four Dallas County residents and one living in Monterrey, Mexico, allege "corruption and greed" at the Mexican Consulate on Stemmons Freeway -- is a great rea ... More >>

Craig Watkins Is Ready for His Close-Up

I winced when asked to screen an advance copy of Dallas DNA, Investigation Discovery's new six-part series that adds to the growing legend that is Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins. It took Henry Wade decades in office to achieve legendary notoriety, but with the global media fawning ove ... More >>

Texas Attorney General, Dallas County Constables Round Up Deadbeat Parents

The Texas Attorney General's Office sends word this morning that 22 Dallas parents who've been court-ordered to pony up child support were arrested by Dallas County constables -- and it was the very definition of a "rude awakening," as the round-up kicked off at 5:30 in the a.m. Says Attorney Genera ... More >>

Texas AG Tells Cali Women to Take Their Fuel Magnets and Blow 'Em Out Their Gas Tank

Three years ago, we ran a piece in the paper version of Unfair Park about a scam called BioPerformance Fuel -- otherwise known as mothballs you were supposed to drop into your gas tank to rev up mileage per gallon. The Texas Attorney General didn't take kindly to that. Which didn't stop two Californ ... More >>

As Dallas County Attempts to Budget Books, One Boss Offers to Take a Pay Cut

Dallas County Clerk Gary FitzsimmonsWick Allison's had some to say in recent days about Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins's battle with the county commissioners over a 10-percent across-the-board budget cut the commissioners demanded in order to deal with an expected $58 million shortfal ... More >>

Democratic County Judge Jim Foster May be the Latest Target in the Inland Port Battle

Why the Dallas County Sheriff's Department Is More or Less Straight Out of Office Space

It's certainly not the most important item on the Dallas County Commissioners Court's agenda for today. No, that would probably be the commissioners' vote on whether or not to re-up for a third and final year in a pilot program that houses folks who've aged out of foster care, which has been done in ... More >>

Today, the Rubbers Meet the Road in Dallas County Commissioners Court

Right before Christmas, Dallas County revealed that it just might consider lifting the condom distribution ban enacted in 1995, when then-County Commissioner Jim Jackson told The New York Times, "Sodomy is still against the law in Texas. I hear people say the government shouldn't be in the bedroom. ... More >>

Thirteen Years Later, Dallas County May Finally Get Back its Condom Sense

In the wake of this morning's news that Dallas County may, at long last, overturn its 13-year-old no-condom distribution policy due to the rise in number of AIDS and HIV cases, it's worth revisiting the ghosts of Christmas past. Because in April 1995, The New York Times came to town to question why ... More >>

Foster's Brook, or: The Dallas County Judge is Smarter Than He Lets On

This should be said: One of the heroes in the otherwise ugly stupid saga of the inland port development in Southern Dallas has been Dallas County Judge Jim Foster.First of all: He figured it out. A very good source close to the county commissioners told me, "He's like a little detective. He's quiet, ... More >>

Pauken Says New Leadership And Strategy Needed For GOP Progress In Dallas County

In last week's paper version of Unfair Park, we took a look at the local GOP through the eyes of Dallas County Republican Party chair Jonathan Neerman. One of Neerman's critics, Texas Workforce Commission chair (and my former boss) Tom Pauken, says Barack Obama was an important reason why the Democ ... More >>

With Dallas Republicans in Pain, One Local Leader Believes He Has the Cure

How County Chair Jonathan Neerman Plans to Ease the Dallas GOP's Woes

The Day Before the Big Game, Bruce Sherbet's Pep Talk

Texas Watchdog Sees Dead People ... Voting in Dallas County

The Final Countdown

Rock the vote and party in Dallas