Christopher “Chris” McKnight is a court clerk in Precinct 4. He previously held roles managing the corporate litigation discovery process for large law firms and managing legal issues related to building and land use.
Hear from the candidate
1. Please tell voters about yourself.
About me: I am 51 years old. I have lived in my home in the Denver Heights community for 23 years, where I am a lifelong member of the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. I have always had ties to the area; I now live in the home that belonged to my grandparent when I was young. Previously, I lived in the East Central School District for over 30 years, also in Precinct 4.
I attended Pecan Valley Elementary (ECISD), San Antonio Academy, Central Catholic High School, and then graduated from Trinity University – where I majored in Urban Administration. Currently, I am a Court Clerk at Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4 – the office where I am now running for Judge. I started in the legal field more than 25 years ago in legal publishing. I then went on to manage the electronic discovery process for large law firms for many years; after which I managed land use and construction for a local private foundation.
2. Please describe the relevant work experience you bring to this job, and how you would approach the role.
I have the most relevant and depth of experience of all the candidates. As a current Court Clerk at JP4, I help the community daily with all of their needs at the Court. I assist the public with their filings and information, in addition to other duties (such as assisting property owners process their evictions). I work with the community daily on their needs directly related to the Court. I assist the visiting Judges with their dockets.
As a legal news reporter, I was tasked with balancing both sides of an issue, while focusing on the facts.
As an editor, I was tasked with making sure the news was correct and concise. I then
managed the discovery process on large litigations where I culled large amounts of data for review and production – assisting with finding the most relevant items for attorneys at large law firms. Immediately prior to becoming a Court Clerk, I managed land use and construction issues for a local private foundation related to new construction, zoning, and community input. I am a property owner in my personal life, and have long understood the pressures and strain faced when tenants fall behind on rent, or there are squatters.
3. Philosophically, how do you balance the public’s desire for restitution in all types of crimes, while also providing a productive path forward for offenders who don’t pose a danger to the public?
As for balancing the need of public restitution for crimes, while providing a path forward for Defendants – at the JP Court, we do not see violent offenders. A majority of the cases are Civil or Traffic related. Criminal cases seen (aside from Traffic) are mainly petty theft, juvenile offenses on school premises, and Texas Fish & Wildlife. These low-level criminal offenses generate fines or community service, not jail time. It is important to acknowledge these infractions, and levy the appropriate punishment.
However, these offenses often result in Deferred Judication, meaning they fall off the offenders record in time. In the interest of the public, I plan to continue this path – working with offenders to attempt to keep their records clean so they can continue to be productive members of the community. Everyone will be treated with dignity and respect.
4. Why did you decide to seek this office? And why did you decide to run under the party affiliation that you chose?
I am running as a Democrat because I have always been a Democrat. I can not imagine running under any other party affiliation.
I am running for Judge because I am a current Clerk in the Court. When Judge Michele Garcia decided not to run for another term, she approached me to run in her place. Judge Garcia believed I am the best candidate to serve the community. As a lifelong resident of Precinct 4, and someone who cares deeply for our community, I look to be an asset of the constituents. I am the best and most qualified candidate, and it would be an honor to serve the people of Precinct 4 – where I have a long history.
I have a lifelong belief that justice be equal for all people, and I look to implement that in the Court.
5. How would you (or how do you, if already elected) solicit input and feedback from residents in your precinct?
To solicit feedback from the residents of the community, I would conduct regular town halls open to the public where we would have resources available, and also an opportunity to receive feedback. Comments are often given back directly during court sessions as well, and that should be taken in to account. I plan to be as open and accessible as possible to address the needs of my neighbors.
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Pct 4. Justice of the Peace Michele Garcia dies after battle with cancer
