Hon. Randy Johnson has presided over 1,156 cases in our database. View their complete ruling history and outcome statistics below.
1,156
Total Cases
635
Resolved
About
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Randy Johnson
Republican Party
Collin County Court at Law No. 5
Tenure
2023 - Present
Term ends
2026
Years in position
1
Predecessor
Dan K. Wilson
Report an officeholder change
Elections and appointments
Last elected
November 8, 2022
Education
Bachelor's
University of Texas at Austin, 1980
Law
Texas Tech University School of Law, 1984
Personal
Birthplace
Dallas, Texas
Religion
Methodist
Profession
Attorney at law
Contact
Campaign website
Campaign Facebook
Randy Johnson (Republican Party) is a judge of the Collin County Court at Law No. 5 in Texas. He assumed office on January 1, 2023. His current term ends on December 31, 2026.Johnson (Republican Party) won election for judge of the Collin County Court at Law No. 5 in Texas outright after the general election on November 8, 2022, was canceled.
Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.
Contents
1 Biography
2 Elections
2.1 2022
2.1.1 Endorsements
3 Campaign themes
3.1 2022
4 See also
5 External links
6 Footnotes
Biography
Randy Johnson was born in Dallas, Texas. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1980. He earned a law degree from the Texas Tech University School of Law in 1984. His career experience includes working as an attorney at law.[1]
Elections
2022
See also:Municipal elections in Collin County, Texas (2022)General electionThe general election was canceled. Randy Johnson won election in the general election for Collin County Court at Law No. 5.Republican primary runoff election Republican primary runoff for Collin County Court at Law No. 5Randy Johnson defeated Jimmy Angelino in the Republican primary runoff for Collin County Court at Law No. 5 on May 24, 2022. Candidate%Votes?Randy Johnson
59.3
21,837Jimmy Angelino
40.7
15,008
There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.SourceTotal votes: 36,845 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.Republican primary election Republican primary for Collin County Court at Law No. 5Randy Johnson and Jimmy Angelino advanced to a runoff. They defeated Joel Petrazio and David Kleckner in the Republican primary for Collin County Court at Law No. 5 on March 1, 2022. Candidate%Votes?Randy Johnson
47.0
26,386?Jimmy Angelino
31.0
17,401Joel Petrazio
13.9
7,822David Kleckner
8.1
4,544
There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.SourceTotal votes: 56,153 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.
Endorsements
To view Johnson's endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Randy Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Johnson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Expand all | Collapse all
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Randy Johnson is running for Judge of Collin County Court at Law No. 5. Randy is a fifth generation Texan, was born and raised in Dallas County and has resided in Collin County since 1985. Randy's qualifications for this general jurisdiction court include over 37 years of combined experience prosecuting and defending civil and criminal cases in the trial and appellate courts. Randy is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in the areas of Civil Trial Law, Personal Injury Trial Law and Workers' Compensation Law, all areas which are heard by this court. In addition to his civil case practice, Randy has litigated over 100 criminal appeals and has been handling criminal cases in Collin County since 2004. Randy believes in judicial restraint and that judges should not legislate from the bench but should follow the law and honor and protect the Constitution. All persons, rich or poor, deserve and should be afforded justice. Randy also believes that personal integrity and morals matter and that people are and should be held personally accountable for their actions. Randy looks forward to drawing on his extensive trial and appellate experience, legal skills and personal work ethic to serve the citizens of Collin County for many years to come. Please check out Randy's qualifications at VoteRandy4Judge.com.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Election integrity, equal access to justice for all persons, open courts, adherence to the rule of law and having ethical, fair, impartial and qualified judges at all levels of the judiciary.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
There have been many people in my life that I look up to and who had an impact on me. It is difficult to pick just one person. The person that most influenced my decision to become a lawyer was my paternal grandfather. He was a deputy sheriff and became a criminal court bailiff (he was the bailiff in the Jack Ruby trial). I lived next door to him until I started school. We were very close then and remained close after I moved. I was enthralled by his tales of the courthouse, of judges and defense attorneys, and the prosecutors in Henry Wade's office. Because of him I knew from the age or four or five that I wanted to be an attorney, to work for Henry Wade, and to eventually be a judge. His honesty, sense of fairness and justice, and respect for the rule of law, attorneys, judges and our court system inspired me then and still does to this day.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
The Constitution.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Honesty, integrity and accountability. As I stated above, Judges should not be politicians but should be fair, impartial an unbiased regardless of their political party. However, Judges, like all elected officials, have a responsibility to serve their constituents and to fully commit to and perform the job they were elected to do while maintaining their ethical obligations as jurists.
Having said this, I believe the characteristics or principles that are most important for a judge are work ethic, decisiveness, experience, intelligence, integrity and preparation and that a judge’s demeanor and actions should at all times be dignified, impartial and professional.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I am hard working and have the skills, training, experience and qualifications for this general jurisdiction court. Experience matters as does having a proven record of service and accomplishment. I have successfully prosecuted and defended criminal and civil cases in the trial and appellate courts in Texas for over 37 years and have earned certifications from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in three different areas of the law, Civil Trial Law, Personal Injury Trial Law and Workers’ Compensation Law. In addition to trying civil cases in county and district courts in approximately two dozen counties, I have handled over 130 civil and criminal appeals. I am AV rated which is a peer review rating and is the highest rating granted to attorneys under the Martindale-Hubbell system. This rating indicates that the attorney's peers rank him to be practicing law at the highest levels of excellence and integrity. Out of over 100,000 licensed attorneys in Texas, only about 7500 are Board Certified and only a small fraction of those hold multiple certifications. I love being in the courtroom and will work hard every day to make sure cases are decided fairly, with integrity and according to the rule of law.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
Enforcement of the rule of law as written is paramount but judicial integrity and independence are also important. Judges are not required to abandon their moral preferences and values. If I believe that a clear rule of law is wrong and conflicts with the constitution, I will rule accordingly.
What legacy would you like to leave?
Professionally, I would hope to be known as a hard working attorney and judge that was accountable, dignified, ethical, fair, knowledgeable, and always prepared and respectful of others.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
John Glen being the first American to orbit the earth. Four years old.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
I have worked hard my whole life, beginning with a paper route when I was 12, and continuing through high school and college. My first job as a lawyer was as a prosecutor in Dallas County District Attorney Henry Wade's Office. I had been there a little over three years when I was recruited to take over a heavy litigation docket by an insurance defense firm.
What is something that has been a struggle in your life?
I do not look at life as a struggle. I have worked hard and long to get where I am, but I consider myself blessed and prefer to view every day as being full of hope and opportunity.
Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?
Most people think of this court as a DWI or misdemeanor court only. However, this court is a general jurisdiction court that also hears civil cases. One particular type of civil case that people may not be aware of that this court hears are eminent domain cases. People may also be surprised to learn that the monetary limit for civil cases in this court is currently $250,000.
How would you describe your legal philosophy?
I view the office I am seeking as being an important and necessary check and balance against infringement of personal liberty and rights. In the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton referred to the judiciary as the least dangerous branch of government, stating that judges under the Constitution would possess “neither force nor will, but merely judgment.” Judges should not legislate from the bench but should apply and enforce the rule of law, impartially and with dignity, integrity and respect for the participants. My role as an elected judge will be to serve and protect the citizens of Collin County by upholding the Constitution and the laws of this state.
Is there a particular judge, past or present, whom you admire?
Yes, the late Justice Antonin Scalia.
Do you believe that empathy is an important quality for a judge?
Yes. All parties and their attorneys and witnesses have lives outside the courtroom which are impacted not only by the outcome of their particular case or controversy, but also by the pace and progress of their case, being in court and having to deal with the legal system. The participants in this process deserve to be treated with fairly with dignity and respect and all persons, rich or poor, deserve and should be afforded justice.
Have you ever been rated by a Bar Association? If so, what was the rating?
No, not by the Bar Association. However, I am board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in the areas of Civil Trial Law, Personal Injury Trial Law and Workers' Compensation Law. In addition, I am AV Rated by Martindale Hubbell.
Why are you running for this particular court seat?
This is a non-incumbent, open bench (Judge Wilson is retiring at the end of current term). I am running for Judge because I want to give back to my community and my profession by putting my three-plus decades of experience prosecuting and defending civil and criminal cases in the trial and appellate courts to work on behalf of the citizens of Collin County. My legal career, first as a prosecutor, and later as a private trial attorney, has brought me to this point and prepared me for this bench. I believe I was called to be an attorney and a judge and that I am the best qualified candidate in this race to fill this open bench. Court 5 is a general jurisdiction court that hears both civil and criminal cases. Collin County deserves a Judge that has experience in all areas heard by the Court. I have the right experience for this bench, am currently at a point in my life where I can devote my full attention to this office, and pledge that when elected, I will work hard every day to decide cases fairly, with integrity and according to the rule of law in service to and protection of the citizens of Collin County.
Do you believe that it's beneficial for a judge to have previous experience in government or politics?
Beneficial, perhaps, but not necessary. Judges should not be politicians but should be fair, impartial an unbiased regardless of their political party.
What is your primary concern about today's legal system in your state?
Currently, the primary concern is getting courts back on track after Covid closures and delays. Fortunately, the Collin County judiciary has done a good job in dealing with Covid but the number of cases being tried is still lower than it should be.
What do you consider the greatest opportunity for the legal system in your state?
To insist that the rule of law is followed and enforced in all jurisdictions while continuing to strive to provide equal access to justice for all persons.
Would you be interested in serving on a higher court in the future? If so, which court appeals to you?
No. My only interest is in serving the citizens of Collin County as the Presiding Judge of Court 5.
Do you believe that Bar Association ratings are an accurate reflection of a judge’s ability?
Yes, for the most part but ratings are not always accurate and can be influenced by factors other than ability.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
