SHEILA BENCE MAKES PITCH FOR COURT-AT-LAW #4

(Ed.'s Note: With early voting in the Democratic Party 2016 primary starting tomorrow, we post the campaign messages from various candidates for public office. Voter turnout has been notoriously low for Cameron County elections. Please go out and support your candidates for the various offices. The election of bad officeholders should not be the result of our own apathy and lack of civic obligation.)

By Sheila Garcia Bence

As a graduate of Harlingen High School, I am very proud to be living in Cameron County. After graduation, I attended The University of Texas San Antonio and received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. I also attended South Texas College of Law and received my Doctorate of Jurisprudence.
y first job out of law school was working in the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office as an assistant district attorney. After gaining some experience at the DA’s Office, I resigned and went into private practice, taking cases for indigent defense, Ad Litem appointments, and some pro bono work. I felt especially moved by the individuals I represented in family law matters and by many of my ad litem appointments in guardianship matters. These were individuals who needed a voice. I worked hard at giving them that voice.

In the meantime, Judge Menton Murray Jr. had taken over the Cameron County Juvenile Court and it was decided by the juvenile board that a juvenile referee was needed. I was asked if I was interested in serving in that capacity. I accepted the job and was appointed by the Cameron County Juvenile Board and was sworn in September 2008. I have been the sitting Juvenile Referee for the last seven years.

It has been a labor of love working as a referee and presiding over juvenile matters. Many of the cases that come before me are not easy. There are children as young as 10 years old that stand before me with problems most of us cannot even imagine. But I’m there because I want to help them. I know they must understand that I have to be stern and make sure they are following the rules, but I also want to treat them with compassion and make them consider their options and know that there are options. It’s not easy to send a child to placement or to keep them confined in the detention facility,
but sometimes it is necessary.
When I learned of the two newly created courts, I began considering running for judge of one of these courts. And it was not a decision I came to lightly. Running for public office would require time, money, and sacrifice. It was a decision that my family, staff and I had to really think about.
This is a new court and I want it to start with a new perspective. I can bring judicial experience and a vision for the future. I want to reform the ad litem system for the probate court, where appointments are on a rotation. Down the line I want to facilitate a program that focuses on young first offenders. Too many of our youth go into the adult system and once they have a criminal record, their options become limited. I want to change that.
I’m working hard with my family and team to run this campaign to our best ability. My heart is in the right place - I want to be part of the positive growth and changes in our community.