By Samantha Pontius
Lubbock County Judge Les Hatch of the 237th District Court – Republican. (Texas Tech)
Les Hatch has many important titles including husband, father, and judge for 237th District Court in Lubbock County.
Hatch graduated from Texas A&M University and earned his law degree from Texas Tech University and served as a private practice lawyer for 21 years for the law firm of Mayfield, Crutcher, & Sharpee, LLP in Lubbock, according to Ballotpedia.org.
While the job may not have been the one he dreamt in youth, Hatch said he contemplated becoming a judge before he was appointed the position in 2009.
“I haven’t always — like as a kid thought that I would be a judge,” Hatch said. “The district bench became open, and I just decided to apply for it.”
Hatch has run unopposed for the 237th District Court judge position since 2010, he said.
“Fortunately, I haven’t had to campaign because I haven’t had an opponent,” Hatch said. “We are very limited by judicial ethics as to positions that we can take on matters.”
If that day should come, Hatch said he already knows his approach because it is something he firmly believes in.
“I would just campaign, if I had to, on hard-working, fair-minded, judge that will give you your day in court if that’s what you’re entitled to,” Hatch said.
Aaron Norfolk, an electrical engineering student from Houston, said no one has run against him because no one can do a better job.
“That’s the whole reason people run against you,” Norfolk said. “They think they can do a better job in that position, but since no one stepped up, no one thinks that.”
And although his job is interesting, he said it is far from what is portrayed in Hollywood.
“It’s not as succinct as the movies,” Hatch said. “A typical court session will last a day, very often multiple full days, but we’ve had a guy that was being arrested, and he decided to run around the court room instead and so that was pretty entertaining. He was ultimately subdued and taken to jail.”
Hatch is happy where he is, but he said he plans to run again in the next election in 2022.
“I’m very happy where I am,” Hatch said. “I do intend to run for at least one more term.”
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