Transcript
Bronin X: Okay, Mr. Clark Will, thank you so much for joining me on the Real Texas Radio podcast today. imm I'm really excited for this discussion. You're running for a judicial position.
Bronin X: You're going to tell us all about that. So actually, why don't I have you start off?
Clark B. Will: Yes.
Bronin X: Why don't you give us like the the one minute overview of you and why you're running for this office?
Clark B. Will: Uh, I've been practicing law in the great state of Texas since I got out of the service in 1986. I'm a 1977 honor graduate of St. Mary's University Law School in San Antonio. over i met my I met my wonderful bride at the University of Texas at Austin in 1974 and we'll celebrate 48 years this next month.
Clark B. Will: um you know i'm i'm kind of at the not not not quite that sunset of my career but hopefully close to the end of it and um There's been such a...
Clark B. Will: in my humble opinion, and I practice in courtrooms almost every week, all the time, I'm ah i'm a litigation attorney Um, Just a slow slide down.
Clark B. Will: in the judiciary. And. And especially in... in in the way that they conduct. their courts, the way they conduct themselves. in the way they rule or don't.
Clark B. Will: And so. I'm the son of a World War II Marine who was on Iwo Jima when he was 17, and you didn't whine in that household growing up. and And so yeah know he always told me, son, if you think you can do better, do better.
Clark B. Will: Put up or shut up. So I'm Talked it over with my family and my wife. And the precinct chair kind of drafted me. She's been after me for about four years to run. And it is, you know, I don't want to sound.
Clark B. Will: Bad or anything it is a big cut and pay Okay. uh So I'm not doing it for the money. I'm doing it. because I have a desire to serve. I've served in uniform. My father served. and four different armed conflicts in uniform.
Clark B. Will: uh his dad was in world war one i guess it's just kind of in our dna so uh That's why I'm running. uh And I can tell you all about me if you want to, but that's the 60 -second version.
Bronin X: Okay, well, you know, I've got quite a few questions that I think are going to draw out much more of your experience.
Clark B. Will: Okay.
Bronin X: and I think you probably know better than anybody that these judicial races are running for elected judge anywhere in the country, but we'll we'll talk about Dallas County.
Bronin X: These races. talk about flying under the radar, or they're basically invisible to many voters. And it's, I think, really hard to learn about candidates. And why don't you tell us specifically about the 298 court?
Bronin X: what it does, what kind of cases come through there.
Clark B. Will: Sure. In Dallas County, like in and like in all the major urban counties like Harris County and... ah Travis County and Bexar County. um the they They have sliced up the jurisdiction of the district courts. So you have criminal district courts.
Clark B. Will: you have family law district courts, and you have civil district courts. The 298th is a civil district court. I would be, if I get elected, I'll be the fifth judge to be on that court. It's not that old court. People tend to sit on that bench for a long time.
Clark B. Will: I have four years. If I get elected, I cannot run for reelection. Um, So it adheres. I mean, its threshold is $500. I remember I had a case one time.
Clark B. Will: where um they were fighting over over a dog. I mean, I'm sure they loved this dog. It was amazing. The judge, I said, Your Honor. in no place anywhere is this little mongrel worth more than 500 it's just not Send us back to the JP court where do we belong.
Clark B. Will: And he did. and That was one of our better judges here in Dallas. um So everything from yeah what tends to go to trial most likely is ah personal injury cases.
Clark B. Will: because that's that's a very big, huge business. All you have to do is. Drive by a city bus. or or look at ah ah a bench at a bus stop and you'll see somebody's face. that Once again. represent you if you've been injured.
Clark B. Will: After that, ah I've always done business and commercial litigation. And the firm I'm with right now is a plaintiff's side employment law boutique. and so we represent employees in a uh Title VII cases, discrimination, sexual harassment, that type of stuff, or Chapter 21 of the Texas Labor Code. but when i When I resigned my commission in 86, I joined a... general all -purpose farm in Dallas.
Clark B. Will: And ah they did predominantly a oil and gas litigation. and they did predominantly banking litigation. All that type of stuff will come before me if I get elected. <unk>s There's really no holds barred of what can go there. We have the new business court in Austin, but I haven't seen that affect my practice much at all. I'm hearing about about it more and more, but I just have a tendency to kind of think that.
Clark B. Will: ah You know, if you've got a district court with the same jurisdiction in Dallas. All the way to Austin is kind of an expensive place to go. But that's up to the litigants. It's it's it's it's theirs to do.
Bronin X: You mentioned that it it would be a huge cut in pay if if if you're elected to this seat, but something I've heard you talk about. in candidate forums, I think, and in your speeches, something that I hear the Dallas County Commissioner's Court. discuss a lot, particularly John Wiley Price's.
Bronin X: We have a lot of judges in Dallas. They're not going to work. They're not doing anything. Tell us about that, how how you would be different.
Clark B. Will: Well, on my stump speech, one of the things I usually say, ah a wise man told told me a long time ago, 90 % of this job is showing up. Okay. And ah I can. testify you go down to the courthouse you walk up and down the the halls The doors are dark and they're and they're locked. There's nobody in there. From the hall there appears to be no business going on.
Clark B. Will: You would think that with 12... uh civil district courts and in dallas we have 12 or 13 i forget um That you do. find a couple of trials. you know if If you're just ah a trial junkie and you want to go down and watch a trial.
Clark B. Will: Now you kind of fun have to call ahead and find out, is anybody doing anything? um It's a. I would tend to agree with John Wiley Price on that, which which makes me shudder a little bit to agree with him. but um and also just the demeanor.
Clark B. Will: of the of the way the the sitting bench, not all of them, but some of them tend to treat. attorneys and litigants. um I have a I have a theory on that that I that i speak on.
Clark B. Will: I talk about when I... When I got out of the service in 86, the TV judge was Judge Wapner. And Judge Wapner was a gentleman. He never raised his voice to anybody. And then he retired and who did we get?
Clark B. Will: We got Judge Judy.
Bronin X: Dutch Judy.
Clark B. Will: That's right. And i will I will tell you that... Ronan, in all honesty, I could see it start to change down and in the courtroom. Within... A five -year cycle.
Clark B. Will: We went from being treated like ah colleagues. and with with with respect and that type of stuff, you're just getting yelled at all the time. Not all the time. I mean, sometimes sometimes attorneys deserve to be yelled at, okay, because they're not prepared or they're... or they're championing a truly ridiculous position.
Clark B. Will: that you know you look at them and say, seriously, you're really going to champion that? i mean you could you can have You can have all kinds of theories when you're sitting in your office. You can have all kinds of theories when you're trying to decide what to draft. When you get down in front of the person in the long black robe,
Clark B. Will: You got to commit. It's just kind of like being a defensive back. If they get behind you, you may get burned. You got to decide if you think it's a run or a pass. You can't just ah try and play both sides because it doesn't work.
Bronin X: Well, ah I will admit. Judge Judy is a guilty pleasure. But that ah that is a very interesting theory, though. that this rise And obviously, she's been on TV for over 30 years now, or just around 30 years. So the the rise in Judge Judy style.
Bronin X: ah judicial temperament and that creeping into reality. um Something else back to...
Clark B. Will: i was I was almost on her show.
Bronin X: Were you really?
Clark B. Will: It's funny. It was it just a little consumer issue. when My wife bought some chairs down in ah in in ah in the hill country. and they promised to ship them. And then they wouldn't ship them, but they wouldn't give us our money back.
Clark B. Will: and I had to file a JP court suit. And finally, I got a call from an attorney on the other side and we got it settled. And literally moments after I got it settled, I got a call from one of Judge Judy's producers asking us if we wanted to come to New York City.
Clark B. Will: That would have been fun.
Bronin X: Wow. Wow. Now, there is one judge who will not complain about the salary. And I think she works like 50 days a year, although I think she's retiring now from the show at 81.
Clark B. Will: Wow.
Bronin X: Um, But... ah Back to John Wiley Price, who, and interestingly enough, I know that he endorsed at least in the primary your Democrat opponent. He's a Democrat. But right now, the composition of the commissioner's court, he's about the closest thing to a conservative as we have.
Clark B. Will: Yeah, that's scary.
Bronin X: by Yeah, I know. But so you, I've heard you talk about there is a ah two -year backlog in this court that you're you're seeking to enter.
Bronin X: Tell us about that and how might you resolve that problem?
Clark B. Will: So one of the things that I do talk about. uh when i'm on my stump speech and said what do you want to do i want to bring common sense back to the courtroom. Okay. uh Sometimes you can find out a lot just by asking.
Clark B. Will: Okay. get get that but When I get there, I'm probably going to, to assuming I get elected. I haven't completely worked this out, but I think in my own mind what I want to do is start a systematic method and means of bringing all the older cases just in for a status conference. Not a long one. Maybe we can do it by Zoom so it doesn't cost their their client a bunch of money. And just find out. You guys want to go to trial?
Clark B. Will: Okay. I've been down there before when there's been like 10 on the docket. Five of them have agreed continuances begging to to to be continued. And the other five are begging to go to trial. And the judge is screaming at the ones asking for continuances.
Clark B. Will: you know. That's fine. i mean Who does it hurt if if the parties are in agreement on something? And I understand there's been some legislation. The legislature got involved about the the backlog. uh but you've got to you've got to Find a balance.
Clark B. Will: between trying cases which is the ultimate thing because over 90 of cases settle and they should uh and the business of the court which is
Bronin X: Great.
Clark B. Will: Hearing the dilatory pleas. and ruling on them. Um, When I got to to Dallas County in 1986, there was a judge on the bench by the name of John McClellan Marshall. the 14th chord if you're out there john hi i used to draw him all the freaking time and whether you liked him or whether you didn't when you left his courtroom you knew who won and who lost He ruled from the bench.
Clark B. Will: I haven't had a judge rule from the bench until recently I had a case up in Wise County in Decatur. And it tends to be that the the rural judges act more like, in my humble opinion, like judges.
Clark B. Will: The ones and and in in in the big urban counties is like a country club. And that's kind of like, you know. I don't really know how to describe it. I just continue to do my job as best I can and try and present and and champion. worthy causes in front of them.
Clark B. Will: and hopefully we'll get it soaked. If not, then we'll try it. It's the way it goes.
Bronin X: And something else I think you know better than anybody. You have an uphill battle. how How long has it been since a Republican has been elected to a judgeship in Dallas County?
Clark B. Will: my My campaign manager, whom I rely on heavily. It tells me 23 years. since one was actually elected. There's been a couple. that have been appointed to fulfill like you know the last six or seven months of a... of a bench bad and they get defeated. every time.
Clark B. Will: So. um We're doing the best we can to get the word out to get the name out. And when I get. snarky responses on the text.
Clark B. Will: about you know i would never vote for a republican or whatever i always try to say the same thing and that's that I would simply ask that you check out my website and my opponent's website and decide in your own mind who you think is the best qualified and and vote your conscience.
Clark B. Will: um I can't help a yellow dog Democrat. They're going to vote Democrat regardless of who it is. okay so
Bronin X: Right. Right. And Dallas County, not only obviously. pretty much monopolized by Democrats on the bench, but then women, it's it heavily favors women and races. and um I think you got something like 76 ,000 votes in the primary. Is that correct?
Clark B. Will: Is that right? How was it? 76 ,000. um Yes, sir. And there were 25 ,000 undervotes.
Bronin X: Okay.
Clark B. Will: which Until I became a candidate, I didn't really really even realize what that was. But now when we got out on the stump, what am I? co -running people, says, think of it as happy hour.
Clark B. Will: Bottoms up. Start at the bottom of the ballot and go up
Bronin X: Yeah.
Clark B. Will: Because we all recognize Paxton and Tallarico and all these other names up at the top. You may or may not recognize your state legislators. um and And they're going to have a D or an R next to their name. And in Dallas County, it would be a whole lot with just a D and nobody running against them.
Clark B. Will: I'm the only Republican running for judge. can be. for for for district
Bronin X: Great.
Clark B. Will: Yeah.
Bronin X: but You're very courageous for that. Um,
Clark B. Will: Rage is a...
Bronin X: Yeah. Well, ah ah you mentioned something else during one of the STEM speeches I saw. your So your opponent, so she's a 34 -year -old woman, young woman.
Bronin X: and But she's she's got 10 years experience. Is is that... yeah And so, you know.
Clark B. Will: not none of them Yeah.
Bronin X: Okay. So we've certainly seen plenty of judges ascend a lot higher with... with much less than that or nothing, but. You mentioned it in terms of who is she receiving campaign contributions from, why that might be a problem.
Clark B. Will: Well... For the primary, the ah Disclosure documents indicate that she raised over a quarter of a million dollars Job pays $200 ,000 a year.
Clark B. Will: Maybe you should just go in the fundraising business. I don't know. But in my understanding is that she raised that by getting $5 ,000 contributions from a whole lot of. plaintiffs. personal injury firms.
Clark B. Will: uh So. When I raise it, I mean, I'm not going to throw mud. That's not. That's not cool. I'm just going to say though, how would you like to be? the opposing counsel in front of her.
Clark B. Will: with one of these lawyers from that firm that helped put her on the bench. ah people are People are human. It's human nature. you're goingnna you know She may not blatantly lean far, but... Be tuned. You can't do away with the bias. i remember I used to be a baseball umpire a long time ago and I got stuck calling a game that my son was playing and he played catcher.
Clark B. Will: okay And. Boy, I almost didn't get to go home that night because the kids kept sliding under him and I kept calling him safe. And he was so frustrated. And I couldn't say it to him because that would be unfair, right? I couldn't go talk to his coach and say, tell him to get his knee in front of the plate. I couldn't do that.
Clark B. Will: But then I had one of the parents later tell me, you know, I think you i think you leaned too hard the other way to try and look. unbiased. That's all you got to call it as you see it. Okay, so.
Bronin X: Well... Mr. Clarkwell, why don't you tell us how do we find you on social media, your website, any events, meet and greets?
Clark B. Will: So ah my my my my ah web page is real hard to find. Clark will for judge .com. Uh, And what's my... social media. social media we're on facebook at clark b wilford judge to not yet.
Clark B. Will: district court just search that and it'll come up and then same for linkedin those are the two socials okay so i'm on linkedin i have a paid link page on linkedin a page on on uh facebook just look for clark b will 298. and we just got an instagram And we just got an Instagram too.
Clark B. Will: this is hidden around
Bronin X: Alright.
Clark B. Will: And. Yeah.
Bronin X: All right, well...
Clark B. Will: So you can find me. and As far as meet and greets, I think we've got one. ah Thursday morning? Yes. and Thursday night solution as a Republican women's thing yeah okay the next meeting greatup with is 30th.
Clark B. Will: Affirm. some precincts. and and Richardson. So check the Dallas Republican Party website. Check the Dallas Republican Party website. we We do our best to make every meet and greet.
Clark B. Will: Um, If you do go to them, you're not going to be inundated with 50 stump speeches because there's not that many of us. Um,
Bronin X: Great.
Clark B. Will: I have been very impressed. favorably impressed. with the folks that that that are running for these various jobs. And I hope we all get elected. I think we'll be in the best. best interest of Dallas County to have just a little bit of red blood in this mess.
Bronin X: I agree. I agree. And you know what? One final question. I should have covered this at the top. Who is eligible to vote for you?
Clark B. Will: Anybody, if you live in Dallas County, you can vote for me. did It is confusing because there's a number on there. And so many things are numbered. But that you know the legislature just numbers district courts as they set them up.
Clark B. Will: and and And they do it consecutively. So there's there's no rhyme or reason to the numbers and in Dallas County other than that. that's the That was the next one that they that they chartered. So. um Yes. if you're If you're a fellow in Dallas County, you can vote as long as you're no longer serving on parole. so You just have to re -register.
Clark B. Will: See you. If you're gonna...
Bronin X: Okay.
Clark B. Will: convicted as a felon you have to re -register if you if you're off the paper if you're not on probation or anything anymore you completely done then you're restored that your suffrage has been restored. so
Bronin X: All right, so all Dallas County voters, Republican or Democrat, make sure November 3rd you vote for Clark, Will for Judge for 298. at District Court.
Clark B. Will: Yes, Judicial District Court. Yes, sir.
Bronin X: All right. Hey, thank you so much for your time and good luck. You got my vote for sure.
Clark B. Will: Thank you. My pleasure
Bronin X: Take care now.
