The following is a political announcement submitted by candidate Mike Holder who is running for Brown County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2.
I would like to introduce myself. My name is Mike Holder and I am currently running for the office of Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2, Brown County. My current wife Michelle and I reside in the Oak Point Development located on the north east side of Lake Brownwood. I have had this residence since February 2000. It was placed here for my first wife who, after battling Lupus for most of her life, passed away in March of 2002. We would have been married for 31 years had she lived until July 2, 2002.
Michelle and I married later in the year of 2002 and have been happily married for 11 years in October 2013.
I was raised in the small West Texas town of Wilson, with a strong Southern Baptist background. My wife and I are currently members of Salt Creek Baptist Church. I am a 32nd Degree Mason and also a member of the York Rite. I am currently a member of Brownwood Masonic Lodge No. 279.
I attended Angelo State College the first year it was a four year institution. Because of Viet Nam, I joined the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged July 31, 1968. I had several jobs from that time until I chose to enter the law enforcement profession January 1, 1970. I worked for the city of Lubbock Police Department until August of 1978. I made what I thought was a good career move at that time which turned out not to be so.I went to work with the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office on February 18, 1983 where I remained until my retirement June 31, 2005. I moved from patrol/investigations to the Civil Division on the 1st of January 1985 as a deputy and was promoted the 1st of January, 1990 to the position of Lieutenant which I held until my retirement.
With the change of Sheriff in November 1998, as a lieutenant, I was placed in charge of the Civil Division and held that position until my retirement.
I have just over 30 years in law enforcement with the last 20 years dealing specifically with civil law. My reputation of dealing fairly with all parties involved in any civil suit was my strong suit. In my time with the Civil Division, I managed to avoid any litigation against the Sheriff, myself, or the Sheriff’s office.
This Civil Division handled on the average from 11,000 to 16,000 pieces of civil process per year which meant each member of the division served from 250 to 350 pieces of civil process monthly. We served process for justices, county, district and federal courts located in Lubbock County as well as for foreign courts and out of county courts. Because of the number of civil process handled by myself and those who worked for me, we learned to research every type of civil suit within the State of Texas. Reading all of the statutes which regulated the service and execution of any civil process issued by Texas courts to avoid litigation which could arise at a later date based on how the civil process was handled.
Contrary to popular belief, the 80 hours of training which a new justice of the peace is given does nothing to enhance an individual’s ability to handle or follow up on any civil process which the justice may issue. It takes years of experience to have the knowledge necessary to research such matters. Even with 20 years of dealing with the process, I too must still research the books for answers because they can change every 2 years with a new State of Texas Congressional Session. You must learn where to look for the answers. This is the basis of my experience, and I look forward to putting that knowledge to work for your benefit.
