Former Judge Denise Pratt of Houston; lying moron

The state of Texas presented Denise V. Pratt with a law license in 1991 after she graduated from the University of Memphis Law School.

Gov. Rick Perry was duped into appointing Denise as a Houston Family Court judge in 2007. Denise didn’t receive the appointment because she was the most qualified attorney in the Houston area. She received the appointment because she had proven to be a reliable lackey for the local political hacks.

The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct charged Judge Pratt with the following misconduct.

• Failed to act with due diligence (slacker)
• Violated the due process of numerous parties
• Illegally purged her docket to cover up gross neglect
• Failed to perform judicial duties competently (Moron)
• Engaged in malfeasance

Judge Pratt found it acceptable to backdate court orders and judgments in order to conceal her excessive and unreasonable delays in issuing decisions. Denise backdated the orders so as to make it appear that she had issued rulings sooner than she actually did.

In another matter, Pratt issued dismissal orders disposing of more than 600 pending cases in December 2013. Denise did so without giving any notice to the parties or their attorney or an opportunity to be heard. Pratt falsely dismissed cases for lack of prosecution despite the fact that many of them had seen recent activity; were awaiting Pratt’s signature on orders following trial, mediation or arbitration. Some cases were already set for trial or had been transferred to other courts following Pratt’s recusal.

As a consequence of her misconduct, the Patron Saints for Judicial Misfits sitting on the Judicial Commission punished Denise by gifting her with a complimentary reprimand.

After losing the primary election, Denise resigned her judgeship in May 2014.

As we speak (ca. October 2014), Denise practices law at 1001 Texas Street in Houston, Texas.