by Anita Miller
Expanded reliance on specialty courts and an increasing use of technology were touted by both candidates hoping to be elected judge of Hays County Court-at-Law #3 during their webinar forum Sept. 24 sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
Incumbent Judge Tacie Zelhart, a Republican who was appointed to the bench in 2019, said in an opening statement that in her short service, she has made the court “more efficient, transparent and accountable.” She said she “found her calling” while serving as a chief prosecutor in Harris County “advising for individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities.” She noted that her “strong desire to help others” in part led to establishing a Hays County mental health specialty court during her first year on the bench.
