Burnt Orange Report

Charlie Baird Official Throws His Hat in the Ring for the 299th District Court

By Damon McCullar

Today Charlie Baird, current justice for the state's highest criminal court threw his hat in the ring for the 299th District Court.

District Courts are on the front lines against serious threats such as murder, robbery, rape and child abuse. I am running because I have the experience, qualifications, and respect for the rule of law that are exactly what we need to protect people as well as our legal system. My 15 years of judicial experience and my seven years as a law school professor make me uniquely qualified to serve the people of Travis County.

Judge Baird is running for the 299th District Court of Travis County. The current judge, Jon Wisser, is retiring at the end of his term. Judge Baird will be a candidate in the March 7, 2006 Democratic Primary.
Judge Baird served on the Court of Criminal Appeals, the highest criminal court in Texas, from 1990 through 1998. The Houston Bar Association rated him the Most Outstanding Statewide Judge in 1997. Since leaving the Court of Criminal Appeals, Judge Baird has been serving as a visiting judge on the intermediate appellate courts and the local trial benches in Travis County. He is the author of more than 1,000 judicial opinions. Additionally, Judge Baird has served on the faculty of Texas Tech University School of Law, South Texas College of Law and Loyola University New Orleans School of Law, teaching courses in criminal law, criminal procedure, capital punishment, criminal appellate and post conviction remedies, international criminal law and criminal trial advocacy. He is a two-time recipient of the professor excellence award at South Texas College of Law.
Judge Baird received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from South Texas College of Law in 1980, and his Masters of Laws in Judicial Process from the University of Virginia in 1995. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from The University of Texas at Austin in 1976.