Judge James R. DePiazza

12/24/2021

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. May the hustle and bustle of the secular-side not take away the peace and joy of the true reason for our celebration! "For today in the City of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord." Luke 2:11

11/17/2021

Filed for my 5th and final term today. The JP2 Precinct will be a little different due to redistricting. The City of The Colony south of SRT was put back into the precinct, which includes Grandscape and the Austin Ranch area. Lakewood Village and the area of Little Elm just to the north of it are also back in Precinct 2. The new boundaries take effect on January 1, 2023. At this time I am unaware of any opponents. Last day to file is December 13th.

11/11/2021

I want to wish a Happy Veterans Day to all my fellow veterans. I especially want to thank those who bare the battle scars of war. My peacetime service during the Cold War does not hold a candlestick to your sacrifice in keeping our freedoms safe. For that, I am most grateful!

I want to also encourage you to thank the spouses and parents of those who served, for they bare a great sacrifice too! Sending a child/spouse into combat creates an emotional and psychological sacrifice in not knowing if their loved one will return home. For your sacrifice, I thank you!

Ponder the story of Navy Signalman 3rd Class Elgin Staples who survived in the waters off Gaudalcanal in World War II. Thanks to a life belt built in his hometown in Akron, Ohio, he survived the sinking of his ship. When he came home, Elgin showed the life belt to his mother, who said: “Son, I'm an inspector at Firestone. This is my inspector number.”

I believe that every veteran knows the sacrifices which their family endures and, most especially, that they are there with us as we serve.

Thank you all for your service and May God Bless the USA!

10/27/2021

The Texas Legislature has completed their redistricting maps, which allows Texas to move forward, at this time, with the March 1, 2022 Primary Elections. As I have previously announced, I intend to run for a 5th and final term in 2022. Since I made that announcement, I have had several supporters ask me if I would reconsider making this my last term. While it may cross my mind in the future, the answer will still be “No.” If I answered any other way, “Yes,” “Maybe,” “I might consider it,” I would be violating one of the campaign promises I made during my initial 2006 Primary, that if continued to be re-elected, I place a self-imposed limit of 5 terms. To go back on that promise, I believe, would show a lack of character and integrity on my part, something I am not willing to do.

There was another promise that I made to myself when I decided to run for public office: To focus my campaigns on myself and what I have to offer to my constituents and to not attack any of my opponents’ character and/or what I believe to be their “short-comings.” The motto I live by regarding this is, “When you have nothing of substance to say, you attack.” I believe the substance of who I am and what I have to offer to this court and my constituents goes deep enough that I do not have to go down that dark road of a negative campaign. I would rather lose an election with my integrity intact than to win an election by sacrificing my character and integrity, which takes me to another motto I strongly believe, “The way you campaign will be directly proportional to how you will run your office if elected.”

Running for public office, and the process for getting elected, is one of the greatest civil processes of our country for both candidates and the electorate. It seems, however, that there is no longer much civility in the process among many candidates and citizen voters. To watch how many candidates, and their supporters, conduct campaigns is an embarrassment to both the candidate and our society. The campaign has become more, “How much can I trash my opponent?” than “What do I have to offer my constituents?” The saddest part is watching friendships and government unity destroyed in local elections. When I ran in 2006, there was a precinct chair who supported one of my opponents in the primary. I didn’t have ill feelings for him, or any other person who supported one of my opponents. What I needed to do is convince him to vote for me in the run-off, which I was able to do. Because of the way I conducted myself and the way I ran this office for the first term, I also won his support in the next primary when the same opponent ran against me again.

I believe one of my responsibilities as an elected official, and community leader, is to be an example for others to follow. I have had other elected officials approach me to let me know that the way I handled the negative campaigning in the 2010 primary, inspired them to continue to run a clean campaign despite the attacks levied against them. I hope that I can continue to be an inspiration to others to do the same. Showing character and integrity in any elected position is important; However, I would argue that it is most important for any candidate running for a judicial office. The way judicial candidates run their campaign most likely will be the way they conduct their court. And if I draw an opponent in the 2022 Republican Primary, I ask for and hope to gain your support and vote!

Lastly, as we wind down the local elections that are currently going on in our community…Early voting ends on Friday, Election Day is November 2nd, let us remember that we are neighbors and friends. In these local elections, we may know the candidates running against each other and must make a choice on which friend to support and vote for. How sad it is when a relationship is forever broken because we didn’t choose the “right friend.” Let’s bring civility back and stop attacking each other and unite as a community and as friends, both during and after the election, so every aspect of government can be carried out with civility and success. The fabric of our society depends on it!

09/17/2021

On September 17, 1787, 39 delegates from 12 of the 13 states signed the Constitution they had adopted to establish a unique, new form of government for the United States of America. The new government was limited in scope with all powers not specifically granted to the federal government to be retained by the each state, and subject to "we the people."

As we celebrate the 234th anniversary of this significant event for not just our country, but the world as a whole, let us always remember that it is not only the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform that are responsible to defend it, it is up to all of us to sacrifice and defend it too! God Bless the USA!

09/16/2021

Please share with any of your veteran family and friends who have a Texas disabled veteran license plate that as of January 1, 2022 they can no longer utilize a handicap parking spot unless they have a placard hanging in their window or turn in their existing license plate for a new disabled veteran plate with the international handicap symbol embossed on it. This change was made through the passing of Senate Bill 792 signed into law on 24 May 2021.

09/07/2021

February 3, 1994 Mother Teresa was invited to speak at the National Prayer Breakfast. She was canonized a Saint by the Catholic Church on September 4, 2016. Almost 5 years later, on September 1, 2021, the “Texas Heartbeat Law” went into effect that prevents abortion after a heartbeat is detected. If one is pronounced dead when their heart stops beating, doesn’t logic dictate that there is life in a being which has a heartbeat? Here are 3 paragraphs from her 1994 speech to ponder that thought:

“I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? How do we persuade a woman not to have an abortion? As always, we must persuade her with love and we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts. Jesus gave even His life to love us. So, the mother who is thinking of abortion, should be helped to love, that is, to give until it hurts her plans, or her free time, to respect the life of her child. The father of that child, whoever he is, must also give until it hurts.”

“By abortion, the mother does not learn to love, but kills even her own child to solve her problems. And, by abortion, that father is told that he does not have to take any responsibility at all for the child he has brought into the world. The father is likely to put other women into the same trouble. So abortion just leads to more abortion. Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. This is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion.”

“If we remember that God loves us, and that we can love others as He loves us, then America can become a sign of peace for the world. From here, a sign of care for the weakest of the weak — the unborn child — must go out to the world. If you become a burning light of justice and peace in the world, then really you will be true to what the founders of this country stood for. God bless you!”

08/27/2021

Robby Starbuck on Twitter

I was 17 years old when I enlisted in the US Army Reserves and attended basic training at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. In my platoon there were men of varying age, race, color, religion, socio-economic status, religion, and from many different States. Despite our differences, we came together and functioned as a team, as did the other 5 platoons in Charlie Company. We had to if we were going to succeed! Throughout my entire adult life, I have been involved in work teams of the same make-up, and we succeeded. As I progressed into management and leadership positions, I hired individuals who had the potential to create success in our workgroups and for the company we supported. They weren’t hired by anything but their character and skillsets. These groups were made up of much of the same diversity of that first platoon. Now, suddenly, there is a movement trying to push an agenda that many fine men and women don’t have a chance to be successful because we, as a nation, are racist at our core. While I do have to accept the fact that there are racist people in our country, as there are in any country, our Constitutional Republic is not racist at its core, as those trying to destroy our great Republic are wanting to convince us. Yes, it has had times that it did not measure up to the moral foundation that it was founded on, but over the years it has corrected itself with the rudder of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. We have the Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments that can attest to the betterment of our country in its continued attempts to live up to the Preamble of the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” As we mark the 58th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech tomorrow, I hope you can see that many of his “dreams” have become reality. I would challenge every citizen of our great Republic to look at the content of your own character and assess for yourself if your choices in life build you up for success or lead you down a path of destruction. Let’s just be American in our land of diversity and unity…From the Many, One! If you haven’t seen it already, take a moment to view this video against Critical Race Theory. It’s priceless!! https://twitter.com/i/status/1399800643880108035

“One of the best videos opposing Critical Race Theory that you’ll ever see. 👏🏼🇺🇸 https://t.co/cXOfheV0kJ”

08/20/2021

Sep 11 (Denton Cty): Constitutional Bootcamp - True Texas Project

The foundational document of our Republic is the Constitution of the United States. The moral guide for that document is the Declaration of Independence. On September 11th, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States, the True Texas Project is hosting a Constitutional Bootcamp in Denton County at the Elections Administration building on Loop 288 in Denton. This is a four hour course designed to give insight on what the Constitution is, it's purpose and what it means for us today...Basically the same as it meant back in 1787 when the Constitutional Convention initially approved the documents. Freedom isn't free and there are forces out there trying to destroy the freedoms we enjoy in our Republic. Here is an opportunity to get a refresher on our Constitution, for those of us who were taught civics in secondary school, or insight in what the document truly is, for those who have gone through their secondary education where there is not enough emphasis on what we are as a country and the good that exists in it. For details or to sign up, go to https://truetexasproject.com/event/sep-11-denton-cty-constitutional-bootcamp/

True Texas Project is excited to be hosting Bob Hilliard as he conducts a four hour course on our Constitution, using the We the People Handbook. “Why Study Our Constitution? Your future depends on...

04/14/2021

The Young Man that Moved Steve

Could our country be a better place if the media would focus more on the good that is going on within it instead of constantly hammering us with the bad? This was just shared with me and even though it was done in November 2018, we need more reporting of stories like this in the mainstream media. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O6RBPsi3nk

Walter walked miles for his first day of work and inspired multiple acts of kindness. His story is so powerful, it moved Steve to tears. SUBSCRIBE to get the...

03/24/2021

It's been a while since I have posted due to issues with my account...Imagine that, a conservative Republican having access issues on Facebook!

I want to announce that I will be seeking re-election in 2022 for a final term. I made a promise when I first ran that if you elected me and continued to keep me in office, I would step down after five terms. I intend to keep that promise as I have have with every other promise I made in 2005.

I hope you believe that I have served this office well these last 14 years and that I can have your trust and support to allow me this last term to serve the people of Denton County Precinct 2.

05/14/2020

Tomorrow, May 15th, is Peace Officers Memorial Day. During this Police Week, let us commend the brave men and women of our law enforcement community for continually summoning the courage to fulfill their solemn oath to protect and serve. We also pause to remember all those who have lost their lives and who have suffered permanent disabilities defending our communities and the rule of law, including the heroes we have lost this year to the coronavirus. Thank you Law Enforcement Officers!

04/03/2020

Updated 28 April 2020 due to Supreme Court extending dates from April 30th to May 19th for citations and May 7th to May 26th for writs of possession and hearings to commence the week of June 1st. Also, CARES Act eviction filings cannot be submitted until 24 August do the the required 30 notice to vacate not able to be given to the tenant until 25 July.

We have been getting quite a few calls regarding evictions. There is a lot of misinformation, so hopefully this will clear things up.
1. Landlord-Tenant Evictions can be electronically filed to the court through the e-File Texas Website. If the tenant is under Section 8 or any other government housing program, no evictions can be filed until August 24th.
2. Post-Foreclosure Evictions where the loan was backed by any government loan program, no eviction filings can be done until August 24th.
3. The court cannot issue any citations on cases filed under section 1 above until May 19th, with no hearings being scheduled until June 1st.
4. Writs of Possession for any previous judgment cannot be posted until May 26th. A move-out can happen anytime 24 hours after this posting by the Constable.
5. A landlord can file a petition for an imminent threat to harm another person or for criminal activity by filing a Sworn Complaint for Forcible Detainer for Threat to Person or For Cause. This petition can be obtained by contacting the court. In the over 13 years I have been on the bench, there have only been a small number of these. There are sanctions for trying to manipulate the Supreme Court order by using this type of process when it is truly just a nonpayment of rent issue, please use prudence.

There is currently no provisions that require a landlord to allow someone to remain in the rental property if they do not pay their rent, even if the reason is a reduction of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If your rent is due on the 1st of the month and you don’t pay it, the lease contract is breached and the landlord has the right to regain possession of the property through the eviction process even if you pay your rent at a later date.

It is important that both landlords and tenants work with each other during these times. My hope is that landlords will give some leeway to tenants whose income has truly been affected and that tenants will not purposely hold back paying rent when they have the resources to do so. Tenants need to remember that landlords most likely have mortgages to pay and not receiving their rent payments may mean their mortgages don’t get paid. Many financial institutions are assisting their clients which can help the landlord with making payments. If you get this assistance, try to pay it forward to a struggling tenant. We have to be in this together!