Maverick County Court Funding Controversy Raises Questions About The Jerry Morales Campaign
Maverick County’s decision to fund a new County Court at Law is drawing renewed public attention months after the original vote, as questions continue about district court funding and the timing of public criticism during an active County Judge race.
On July 25, 2025, the Maverick County Commissioners Court voted four to one to approve a resolution establishing a County Court at Law. Official meeting minutes reflect that then Commissioner Gerardo Jerry Morales voted in favor of that resolution. At the time, there was no widely circulated public objection outlining long term funding concerns.
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Months later, when the Maverick County budget was formally adopted and included operating funds for the County Court at Law, Morales voted against the final budget package. That shift raises an important question: if the structure used to fund the new court posed serious financial risk to the district courts, why were those concerns not publicly detailed at the time of the July 2025 resolution vote?
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The issue resurfaced on February 9, 2026, when a letter criticizing the funding structure for the County Court at Law was published in El Latino Newspaper. The letter stated that reallocating funds to support the new court could significantly reduce funding available to the 365th District Court and the 293rd District Court and potentially affect staffing and court operations. With several months having passed between the vote and the publication, residents are asking what new information, if any, prompted the public warning at that time.
Public campaign finance records show that two signers of the letter are affiliated with the largest reported contributors to the Morales campaign. Records reflect a ten thousand dollar contribution from Nevarez Law Group PC and a five thousand dollar contribution from Ritchie Law Group. Campaign contributions of this type are permitted under Texas law, and there has been no allegation of any legal violation. Still, the overlap between campaign support and public policy advocacy has led some residents to ask whether the timing of the letter is connected to the ongoing County Judge race or solely to budget concerns.
The debate ultimately centers on numbers and measurable impact. What specific financial data demonstrates that the 365th District Court or the 293rd District Court will be unable to perform their duties under the current Maverick County budget? Have staffing reductions occurred, or are the concerns based on projected shortfalls? And what is the total annual operating cost of the Maverick County Court at Law compared to documented caseload trends or workload increases?
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At this time, there has been no public court finding that the district courts are unable to function under current funding levels. The disagreement remains a policy debate over allocation of county resources rather than a declared constitutional funding crisis.
As the Maverick County Judge race continues, the funding structure of the County Court at Law remains part of the broader public discussion about fiscal management, judicial resources, and transparency in Maverick County government.
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