Michael Mery was elected to the 144th District Court in 2020. He’s worked for the Texas Attorney General’s office and the Bexar County DA’s office. He also served as a county court judge, where he established Bexar County’s first mental health docket. He faces one Democratic primary challenger this year.
Hear from the candidate
1. Please tell voters about yourself.
Born in San Antonio in 1957 to children of Lebanese immigrants, I was raised with my three siblings on the Westside, where I became fluent in Spanish. I am very active in my parish, St. George Maronite Catholic Church, where I have served as a member of the dance troupe, a choir member, a lector, a councilman, and President of the Holy Name Society.
My wife and I have been married for forty-three years, and we were blessed with four children and four grandchildren. Early in my marriage, I served the Archdiocese of San Antonio as a Board Member of Vi Ember Christi, the Archdiocesan Young Adult Ministry. I was President of the Catholic Lawyers’ Guild of San Antonio for several years.
I have served on the Institutional Review Board at the Nix Hospital and as a Board Member of New Beginnings Day Care, Inc. Before becoming a lawyer, while a law student, I obtained my Texas Real Estate Broker’s license. I was licensed to practice law in 1982, and I have been a Judge in this community for over twenty-six years.
2. Describe your educational background.
I graduated from St. Martin Hall (1971); Central Catholic High School (1974); Cornell University, with a B.A. in Government (1978); and the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, with a J.D. (1982). Since 1982, as an attorney, I met or exceeded the annual continuing legal education requirements until becoming a Judge in 1999. As a Judge for over twenty-six years, I have met or exceeded the annual continuing judicial education requirements.
As an Assistant District Attorney of Bexar County and an Assistant Attorney General of Texas, I took many professional development classes. I have attended dozens of conferences, and I am one of a select group of Judges nationwide who participate in Dividing the Waters, an educational curriculum based with the National Judicial College which specializes in Water Law.
3. Describe your professional experience, what type of law you’ve practiced and noteworthy accomplishments.
As a private practitioner for twelve years, I handled criminal defense and a wide gamut of civil and probate matters. In public service, prior to becoming a Judge, I was an Assistant District Attorney of Bexar County, and Section Chief of Child Abuse Litigation at the Texas Attorney General’s Office. I began my judicial career in July 1999 as a Mental Health Master.
On September 1, 1999, I became the first Judge of County Court at Law #12, a misdemeanor criminal court. During my 11 years, 4 months serving on that bench, I disposed of over 30,000 criminal cases and presided over dozens of criminal jury trials; and I established the Mental Health Court, a specialty court which was the first of its kind in Bexar County.
Thereafter, I became Judge of the 37th Judicial District Court, a civil bench, where I served for two terms. On January 1, 2021, I became Judge of the 144th Judicial District Court, a felony criminal bench, where I continue to serve today. In my 16 1/2 years serving on two criminal courts, I have disposed of more than 40,000 criminal cases and presided over more than 100 criminal jury trials.
4. 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 required by law, I assess restitution to victims in every case that involves one or more victims who are due restitution. In cases where an offender who is eligible for community supervision has been granted community supervision by the Court or by a jury, I carefully assess the Defendant’s criminogenic factors, criminal history, substance abuse history, work history, and mental and physical health; the circumstances surrounding the crime; the nature of the crime; the relationship, if any, between the Defendant and any victims; the circumstances and needs of the victims; safety of the community; and all other relevant factors.
Then I fashion conditions of community supervision which will protect the victims and give them an opportunity for healing and restoration to wholeness, and which will provide support to the defendant to lead a sober life with employment and stability and having mental health needs addressed. I must always determine which therapies, treatments, programs and classes are most appropriate to achieve these goals and whether these goals can be accomplished by outpatient treatment or require inpatient treatment.
5. Why are you seeking this office, and why did you decide to be a candidate in the political party you chose?
I am seeking re-election to my position as Judge of the 144th Judicial District Court so that I may continue my life’s work of serving justice and protecting our community. My unique career path and life and work experiences make me particularly suited to serve in this role where every decision can have profound effects on the lives of untold numbers of people.
I have been a lifelong Democrat and have run for office as a Democrat for decades. I cherish nature and our environment and our people, and I identify with a philosophy that seeks to serve and protect the least among us and the vulnerable.
