In His Own Words: Justice of the Peace Candidate Ron Perry

SAN ANGELO – The candidates running for office in the May 24 GOP Runoff election in Tom Green County were asked to answer a series of questions posed by San Angelo LIVE! readers.  

The questions were submitted to San Angelo LIVE! and were condensed into 12 questions.  Those 12 questions were then sent to the candidates.  

The answers to those questions are being published as a tool to help voters decide who they want to vote for.  The Runoff election is May 24, 2022 with early voting running from May 16 to May 20.  

Ron Perry is a candidate for Tom Green County Justice of the Peace Pct. 3.  

Here are the answers to the 12 questions from Perry in his own words.

1. Would you consider holding court hearings in the evenings or on weekends?

I would consider any changes which would help the public.  I would have to gather information regarding cost to the County and Court budget.  What would be the cost of overtime for the employees involved?

2.  Would you decrease office staff to keep from raising property taxes?

Until I have a chance to study the court budget my answer to this question is NO!

3. Is there anything that would prevent you from responding to a scene in the middle of the night to pronounce a person deceased?

I have responded to scenes of death and serious injury in the fire department (both Military and San Angelo Fire Department) and my recent jobs with Johnson funeral home and Harper’s funeral home. Short answer is NO!

4.  Would you consider holding hearings in Grape Creek?

Again, my answer would be the same as question number 1. In addition to cost listed in question 1, the cost for rent on a facility would have to be considered.

5.  Do you have any experience dealing with mentally ill individuals?

My short answer is yes.  I have interacted with mentally Ill individuals working on the ambulances in the San Angelo Fire Department and Shannon Emergency room.  I would work with our local MHMR of The Concho Valley Authority to be up to date on all rules, regulation, and the ever changing laws regard the mentally ill.

6. Do you believe that parents should be held liable for truancy issues?

Short answer is Yes.  The Texas Family Code and other laws are constantly changing regarding this issue and would need to be consider as to an affirmative answer.

7.   What is your approach to landlord/tenant issues?

A judge’s job is to LISTEN to both parties and consult and apply the law as is written in Texas Property Code sec. 92.001. I would ask both parties, in all cases before the Court, if the issues in question could not be worked out without coming to the court

8.  Can you describe the magistrate process and do you have any plans to streamline it?

The Judicial process consist of 8 steps:

Investigation

Charging

Initial Hearing/Arraignment

Discovery

Plea Bargaining

Preliminary Hearing

Pre-trial Motions

Trial.

No plans to change or streamline “at this time”.

9. Would you advocate for courthouse security for your courtroom?

Short answer is NO.  Again this would need to be studied and cost considered.

10. Do you have any specific plans to cut spending in the J.P. office?

Short answer is NO.  I would have to study the budget to determine the answer to this question.

11.  Would you consider a plan to use video call technology like Zoom for some court hearings to reduce costs?

Short answer is Yes if it would indeed reduce operating cost.

12. What is your view of bail reform and other specific measures to reduce jail population?

This issue is one all the Justices and Sheriff are grappling with throughout the State and Nation.  I wish I had the answer.