(This is the first interview of four with the four candidates for Webb County Justice of the Peace Pct. 1, Place 1.)
Attorney Maria Elena Morales kicked off her campaign for Justice of the Peace Pct. 1, Place 1 with a gathering of supporters on Saturday, January 4. The well-attended event heard the candidate lay out her solutions to a backlog of over 3,000 cases still pending in the Place I Court.
“I will apply my understanding of the law to move through the backlog and will implement an upgraded, innovative, and user friendly website that will provide forms for landlord/tenant disputes, credit card debt cases, foreclosures of less than $10,000, protective orders, and peace orders. The forms will be available in Spanish and in English,” Morales said.
She added that nearly four decades as an attorney have given her considerable experience in family law, real estate, contracts, and defending debt collection. She is the only attorney running for JP Pct. 1, Place 1, facing Webb County Deputy Monica Liendo, daughter of the sitting JP Hector Liendo, who has held the position for 28 years; small business owner Mary Perez; and retired firefighter Juan Paz.
Morales said she envisions a court that allows a just, timely opportunity for resolution to everyone who appears in the JP Pct. 1, Place 1 Court.
She also addressed the issue of truancy with a preventive plan called “Be Counted” that works with the school districts to encourage attendance and high school graduation. “The plan culminates with an ‘I Counted’ recognition and the possibility for scholarships for college studies,” Morales said.
Morales graduated from St. Mary’s University with a degree in political science and with a doctor of jurisprudence from the University of Houston School of Law.
For further information or to volunteer for her campaign, call (956) 723-6004.
