Two highly qualified candidates are vying for Place 9 on the 5th District Court of Appeals in Texas.
Both state District Judge Tina Clinton, a Democrat, and private lawyer Matthew Kolodoski, a Republican, are capable of this bench and are running for all of the right reasons. In our recent interview with them, each touted their extensive understanding of Texas law, and both have impressive resumes that voters should carefully consider. Notably, both also convinced us that they would serve free of partisan politics.
But in our view, Clinton, who has nearly two decades of experience as a respected trial court judge, edges out Kolodoski. Voters should elect her to the seat.
The 5th District handles appeals from criminal and civil trial courts in six North Texas counties. According to the Texas Office of Court Administration, the court disposed of 1,019 civil and 616 criminal cases in the year that ended Aug. 31, 2023. Place 9 is being vacated by Justice Bill Pedersen III, who is not seeking re-election.
Clinton, 54, has presided over Criminal District Court 1, a felony bench in Dallas County, since 2019. Before that she served for eight years as a misdemeanor judge, four years as a municipal judge in Hutchins and one year as associate municipal judge in Dallas. Clinton also has the distinction of serving on the faculty of the Texas Center for the Judiciary’s College for New Judges, essentially helping instruct new judges how to run their courts.
We’ve had serious concerns about the post-pandemic backlog of cases in Dallas County felony courts and questioned the work ethic of some of those judges. But Clinton hasn’t been among them. Instead she’s been one of a handful who have kept their dockets churning and efficiently disposing of cases, according to statistics compiled by county officials.
She also has an 84% favorable approval rating overall in the Dallas Bar Association’s 2023 Judicial Evaluation Poll, and has been deemed qualified for the appeals court seat by the local Committee for a Qualified Judiciary.
Kolodoski, 36, also made that committee’s list, and we agree that his credentials would serve the appellate court well. A partner at the prestigious firm Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons, Kolodoski is board-certified in both insurance and consumer and commercial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. That makes him a subject matter expert in the kinds of cases that regularly come before the appeals court, a distinction shared by few lawyers. Combined with his experience as both a trial and appellate attorney, he’d be able to hit the ground running if elected. He also has the kind of even, thoughtful temperament we like to see in judges.
Kolodoski is a strong candidate, but his formidable opponent’s years of experience serving as a well respected judge in Dallas County give her the advantage. Clinton gets our recommendation.
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