T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E
up and said to him, ‘You took away my best friend. Because of you, my children will never get to meet their grandmother.’ And then the husband of the deceased got up and said, ‘Because of you, I sleep alone at night and will forever.’ And so, you see the impact that the people have in my cases,” the Judge explained. “I’ve had sexual assault cases where I sentenced somebody to 50 years or 60 years. The women who were children at the time they were sexually assaulted would run to each other and hug each other. You can’t call it joy, but you can call it closure. That’s something so many people need. We help them get to a place of closure.” Everyone in his courtroom is treated equally and with respect. Kelley Crisp was assigned to Judge Tidwell’s court after her promotion to First Assistant
According to the Bowie County Elections Office, he won the highest popular vote in the county. “When I campaigned, I made one promise,” said Judge Tidwell. “I would treat anybody who came in front of me with dignity and respect, no matter their stature in life or what attorney they had with them. Litigation is volatile within itself. When you live in a world of chaos, you have to be neutral and comforting. I may rule against you, but I’m not going to take it out on you. Every day I do something that affects people for the rest of their lives. I take that into consideration, and that’s my motivation: to try and do it right.” His careful consideration of each case is just one reason Judge Tidwell is respected in his courtroom. “He has a very highly developed sense of justice and always does the right thing even when it is not easy,”
District Attorney in January 2019. According to Crisp, “Being in front of him in the 202nd District Court is an honor. Judge Tidwell has the ideal temperament for his position. He is calm and collected, and he’s steadfast in his
said John Mercy of Mercy Carter, LLP. “His upbringing in the west end of Bowie County taught him basic values that are important to administering justice.”
ded i c at i on to justice and the equal treatment of everyone. A court date does not go by where the families of the defendant and the victim don’t tell him ‘thank you’ because he does not show favoritism, and he is so respectful of everyone involved. He realizes how hard the cases are for both sides, especially their families.” After a successful first term, Judge Tidwel l was re-elected in November 2020.
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C OMM U N I T Y & C U L T U R E
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