With 29 years experience as an attorney and nearly 400jury trial cases before being appointed in 2005 by Gov.Rick Perry (and elected in 2006) as judge of the 57th DistrictCourt, Joe Frazier Brown Jr. has some pretty good stories to tell.
“You see a lot in the courthouse,” Brown says. “You see peopleat their worst, and you see people at their best. You see thetotal extreme of emotions from peoplewho can’t walk because they’reso grief–stricken to those who areso happy they’re bouncing off thewalls.”
The 56–year–old San Antonionative can also recollect a number ofhigh–profile and intensely–chargedcases as if it were yesterday. Therewas the time in the late ’70s, for instance,when he prosecuted a BexarCounty deputy sheriff and a securityguard for shooting a man out onbond for robbery.
“Roy Barrera Jr. and I tried thatcase,” he says. “The court was fullevery day with reporters and civilrights advocates because a blackman was killed by a Hispanic deputyand a white security guard.”
He’s also witnessed murder defendants attempt to jump outcourthouse windows and others bolt for the exit, only to be interceptedby bailiffs. But there is no case as vivid as the one thatcould have cost him his life.
In 1978, Brown was scheduled to attend a probation hearing,but at the last minute a colleague, Paul Canales, filled in forhim instead. During the hearing, a man pulled out a knife andstabbed a female in the courtroom.
“Paul chased him, and when he caught him by the elevator,the man stabbed him in the heart. He was completely whitebecause of the loss of blood, but he lived,” Brown says. “He wasa marathon runner, and in a year he competed again. I’m convincedhe lived because he was in great shape.”
As 57th District Court Judge at the Bexar County Courthouse,Brown presides over a majority of civil cases. Manyinvolve family disputes or divorce settlements. In November,Brown will run for re–election. He will campaign on a platformof integrity, honesty and experience.
“I want the public to remember that a judge has to have therespect of his peers as well as the public,”he says. “I’ve never had a singlegrievance filed against me in my 29years as a lawyer. Nor have I had a singlejudicial complaint since I’ve beenon the bench.”
“You do that by avoiding any appearanceof impropriety. If you’re askingpeople to abide by your rules andorders, they have to have someonewho isn’t flippant about those orders.(That judge) believes in them.”
Retired Army Maj. Gen. BruceMoore has known Brown for 16 years.He said he’s always admired the mannerin which the judge conducts himselfin public and in private.
“He’s one of the most honestpeople I’ve ever met,” Moore says. “Ifhe tells you something, you can expect him to keep his word.He doesn’t hide anything, and he’s always straightforward witheverybody.”
As a boy, Brown learned respect for the law from his father,Joe Frazier Brown Sr., an attorney and district judge. It encouragedthe younger Brown to obtain a bachelor’s degree in lawenforcement from Texas State University in 1972 and his lawdegree from St. Mary’s University in 1975.
After graduation, Brown landed a job with the Bexar CountyDistrict Attorney’s Office and prosecuted defendants chargedwith capital murder, aggravated robbery, rape and burglary.Despite the stress and heavy workload, the judge described hisyears there from 1975–1979 as the happiest time of his life. “Thecamaraderie of the D.A.’s office was extraordinary,” he says. “Thelawyers I got to work with and against was a tremendous experience.”
His peers included Ed Prado, David Berchelmann, SharonMacrae, Mike Peden and the late Bill White. “All those peoplewere in that office with me. We were very close and did thingstogether,” Brown says.
Another colleague from those early days was Roy Barrera Jr.,now an attorney in private practice, whom Brown has remainedfriends with for more than 35 years.
“Joe has been a shining example of a true professional and alawyer’s lawyer. His prosecutorial skills were second to none, andhe enjoyed a very enviable record of guilty verdicts that were wellknown,” Barrera says. “He has a great legal mind, and just like hisfather, the ability to remain impartial.”
After five years with the District Attorney’s Office, Brown enteredprivate practice and became a partner with Thornton, Summers,Biechlin, Dunham & Brown until his appointment as 57thDistrict Court Judge.
“When I (went into private practice), I forgot how many peopleare out there every day trying to make it, and those people havea lot of problems,” he says. “What the courts are for is a peacefulresolution of those problems. My job is to give them the forum tohave a resolution without any type of violent interruption.”
Away from the Bexar County Courthouse, Brown and hiswife of 36 years, Cathy, enjoy spending time at their ranch outsideJohnson City, which he jokes is “too big to take care of and not bigenough to make a living.” His cattle and six horses graze the landthere.
His aunts and uncles were ranchers, so it was only natural thathe developed an early interest in raising cattle. “In middle school, Iborrowed some money and bought eight cows and eight calves. Bythe time I got out of college I had 40 cows and 40 calves,” he says.“My wife and I sold them, and that was our first down payment onour house.”
He and Cathy have two children, Ryan, 30, an insurance adjuster,and Clint, 28, who is studying international finance.
