The purpose of the Committee for a Qualified Judiciary is to advance the cause of a competent, fair, and impartial judicial system in Dallas County and the State of Texas based on merit and not political party or persuasion.

To this end the CQJ currently invites candidates for the Fifth District Court of Appeals of Texas and the District, County, and Probate Courts of Dallas County to submit to the CQJ’s evaluation process.  Any candidate whom the CQJ finds to be qualified will be approved as such.  On occasion this will result in the determination that more than one candidate for a court is qualified.  If a candidate chooses not to participate in the evaluation process, the candidate is not considered.

Candidates who participate in the process are asked to complete a detailed questionnaire and respond to questions during an in-person interview by members of the Evaluation Committee.  Recommendations from the Evaluation Committee are considered at a meeting of the general membership of CQJ.

The CQJ evaluates professional qualifications and does not consider a candidate’s political affiliation. The Committee focuses on a candidate’s professional qualifications by assessing his or her professional competence, integrity and judicial temperament.

The Committee examines a candidate’s professional competence by examining the breadth and depth of his or her professional experience and knowledge of the law, his or her educational background, and his or her analytical abilities.  The Committee assesses a candidate’s integrity by evaluating his or her character and general reputation in the legal community.  The Committee evaluates judicial temperament by considering the candidate’s open-mindedness, courtesy, patience, freedom from bias, and commitment to equal justice under the law.

A “qualified” rating means that the at least two thirds of the CQJ members present and voting at the general membership meeting have determined that the candidate is qualified to perform satisfactorily the duties and responsibilities required of a judge of the court to which the candidate seeks election.