So You Got Arrested

Future of Justice: A Conversation with Jane Davis

• BRCK Criminal Defense Attorneys

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In this episode of So You Got Arrested, hosts Steve Barrera and Jacob Lindbergh sit down with Jane Davis, a veteran prosecutor and candidate for Bexar County District Attorney. With a career spanning over four decades in San Antonio and experience serving under seven different District Attorneys, Davis brings a unique, "boots-on-the-ground" perspective to the race.

From her early days as a public school teacher and collegiate track coach to her current role as Section Chief of the Juvenile Division, Jane discusses why she believes the DA’s office needs a return to professional camaraderie and structured mentorship.

Key topics discussed include:

  • The "24-Hour Rule": Jane’s proposal for immediate contact with family violence victims.
  • The Backlog Strike Force: Strategies to increase efficiency between law enforcement and the DA’s office.
  • Juvenile Justice & Rehabilitation: How data-driven research is changing the way we approach recidivism in young offenders.
  • Specialty Courts & Mental Health: The importance of addressing the "criminogenic factors" that lead to arrest.
  • Ending Inefficiency: Tackling the "magistration dispute" between the city and county to streamline the justice process.

Whether you are a legal professional or a Bexar County resident looking to stay informed for the upcoming primary, this episode offers a deep dive into the policies and temperament required to lead one of Texas's largest criminal justice hubs.

SPEAKER_00

The Texas justice system is messy. So let's break it down. You're listening to So You Got Arrested, the podcast that tells you what really happens after an arrest. Hosted by BRIC Criminal Defense Attorney. We talk to the people who've lived it, worked in it, and been shaped by it. Whether you're facing charges or just want to understand your rights, your options, and the smart moves that could change everything, we've got your back.

Meet Jane Davis And Her Path To Law

SPEAKER_03

So welcome to Say You Get Arrested, a BRIC Criminal Defense podcast. Over the past couple of months, we've been trying to bring on as many candidates for the local races as we can. That way the public can be informed about hey, who's running for these positions? Uh, who are these people? What are their you know takes on various issues? And so we're fortunate in that today we have Miss Jane Davis who has joined us. She is a candidate for district attorney. Thank you for coming on, Miss Davis. Thank you for having me. Uh can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Where are you from?

SPEAKER_01

Uh my name is Jane Davis. I am from San Antonio. I've been here 43 years. Okay. I came here to go to law school at St. Mary's and fell in love with the community and just stayed.

SPEAKER_03

Okay. And so uh you came to San Antonio for law school. Where were you born?

SPEAKER_01

I was born in Abilene, Texas. That's why I talk like this.

unknown

All right.

SPEAKER_03

All right. Abilene. And so um you you come down to San Antonio and you're here for law school, and then you say, hey, I'm gonna stick around.

SPEAKER_01

Well, actually, if you really want the truth, and I'm almost ashamed to say it, you know, Abilene, the wind blows all the time. And I was teaching school, public school in the Fort Worth area, and the wind blows there too. Okay. And I came down to St. uh Mary's University, and I realized the wind doesn't blow down here. I think I'll stay. Okay. So you were a public school teacher? Yes, I was. For how long? About 13 years. Well, uh accounting the college time I I taught. Okay I taught in uh public schools about eight.

SPEAKER_03

And so was there a specific grade that you taught? What what was that?

SPEAKER_01

I taught in uh in middle school I taught life science and earth science. And in high school I taught biology. Wow. And then in college I taught at Angelo State out in San Angelo, where the wind does blow. And I taught out there, taught kinesiology, and uh, I was the women's track coach. And uh we did very well. We were four uh top in the top five in the nation for the five years I was there.

SPEAKER_03

Wow, so so you're doing these things. You're you're a public school teacher, then you end up at a university teaching and coaching. What made you decide to go to law school?

SPEAKER_01

I just I always have loved the idea of the law and and what it represents. And so when I got the opportunity, I got my course my parents encouraged me, and I got the opportunity and applied and and uh just jumped in and did it.

SPEAKER_03

So let me ask you a question, uh, because you said, you know, I love the idea of the law and what it represents. Well, what does it represent to you?

SPEAKER_01

It represents a chance for people to live in a civilized society where rights are protected and where everybody has a fair chance.

SPEAKER_03

Right.

SPEAKER_01

Right. And that's what it's it's so important. That's why it's so important in the DA's office that everybody has a fair chance.

SPEAKER_03

So you go to law school at St. Mary's um and you said, hey, I I stuck around San Antonio because the wind doesn't blow here, but I'm sure there were a few more reasons other than that.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I had job offers other places, but I really I really love the honor and the culture in San Antonio, the the the great Hispanic culture. And the I I just love the people and I love the the parties and the fiestas and and all of the things that people have here. I think it's uh it's a great place to be.

SPEAKER_03

San Antonio doesn't hesitate to you know have parties or parades or fiestas for anything.

SPEAKER_04

Trevor Burrus, Jr. And growing up in Connecticut, you know, it's uh there's not much wind, but there's snow. So and it's always here around this time. And so uh coming here, I couldn't agree more. The warm weather and the warm people really is kind of just really what's attracted me and got me to stay for us hopefully the rest of my life.

Early Prosecutor Lessons And Judicial Grace

SPEAKER_01

So Well, I I have to tell a story about Judge Mike Machado. Okay. Did you remember you're too young to remember? Okay. I was I was a baby prosecutor in his court. And he uh he would, you know, Miha, you know, all it and so uh I was scared because I was a baby prosecutor and I didn't really know what I was doing, and everybody would leave me and I'd be stuck there. And uh one time he says, Mija, come here, come to the bench. I said, Yes, Your Honor. And I get up there and he leans forward and he says, Mija, I will never embarrass you in court. Relax. And I thought, I've been to church all my life. I thought I knew what grace was. Right. I didn't know what grace was.

SPEAKER_03

Right.

SPEAKER_01

Well, and until then.

SPEAKER_03

And and you know, just so uh people know, not every judge is like that.

SPEAKER_01

That is true. There are some men in front of you, not like that.

SPEAKER_03

There are some judges who seem to take particular delight in embarrassing you or showing that they know more than you do. So for a judge like Judge Machado, who is a very well-respected judge uh to tell you that, I mean, that really must have, you know, well it made me feel good, but you know, he was that way with most attorneys.

SPEAKER_01

Most young attorneys, he would always try to help and give encouragement and tutor and all that sort of thing.

SPEAKER_03

There's a judge who's currently on the bench, Judge Ron Ron Hell, and he uh did this thing to me one time. I had never been in front of him, and I'd never been in his court, and I was a young attorney, and you know, it's a district court, so it's a felony. So I'm intimidated and scared. And uh I'm up in front of him, and you know, we resolve the case in front of him, and he tells the client, I just want you to know your attorney did a good job on your behalf. And I felt wonderful that he did that. And then I stuck around and he did that for a lot of the attorneys. But it was a good thing because I was so nervous and it kind of took the tension out of it, and I was worried, well, maybe my client notices that I'm nervous, and you know, and and it's so it kind of helped out in that regard. So when you have a judge who, you know, shows a little humanity and kindness and understanding, it does make a big difference.

SPEAKER_01

And it gives you confidence. It lets you know that the the way you're approaching things is is the right way and to continue.

SPEAKER_04

Right. That's right. Right. And so after law school, your law school, St. Mary's, you were a baby prosecutor, was that Bear County District Attorney's Office? It was.

SPEAKER_01

I started under Sam Milton. Was that your first position as a prosecutor? Well, first I was uh in the U.S. Attorney's Office as an intern. So I when law school was going on, I was an intern to the U.S. attorney. And then when I passed the bar, the first time I took it, and I passed, and then I got hired uh in Sam Milsap's office.

SPEAKER_03

So just so people know, the U.S. Attorney's office, that's the the federal prosecutors. They prosecute federal crimes. And so then you end up in Sam Milsap's office as a baby prosecutor. Baby prosecutor. Okay.

Seven DAs, What Works, What Fails

SPEAKER_01

And we started out, and I think I was stuck in grand jury for a while to try to figure out how to do that and how to how to indict cases and and uh went from there to misdemeanor court. And uh from there I uh advanced, I was promoted, and uh went into um uh uh uh family violence cases. I have been actually been in every section of a DA's office. Um I was first assistant in Guadalupe County, where I did the civil section and the appellate section also. But here in Bear County, I have been in every section of the DA's office, and I have uh uh served under seven different district attorneys.

SPEAKER_03

How many different district attorneys have you served under?

SPEAKER_01

Seven, and and I joke with my colleagues and I say I've seen the good and the bad and the ugly. That's right. That's right. That's right. They uh, you know, all of them have had something good that they have done. Sure. And many of them have made mistakes. Sure. And I've been in a position to be able to see what the mistakes were, to see what works and what doesn't work.

Culture Shift, Mentorship, And Morale

SPEAKER_03

So you are at the DA's office as a baby prosecutor, you said, hey, I was a misdemeanor courts for a while. Um and now uh you're an experienced prosecutor. And is it is it different for the current young batch of prosecutors than maybe it was when you were a baby prosecutor?

SPEAKER_01

I think it is. I think I've noticed a lot of difference. Uh there was more camaraderie back when I was beginning.

SPEAKER_03

Um I'm now between between the prosecutors and even the defense bar.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. And we there was more trust. There was, you know, there was always once in a while a bad apple that you couldn't get along with, didn't play well. But uh most of the time people had each other's backs, we had fun together, we we did things that outside of work that were fun, and a lot of it is lost now. But at this point in my career, I'm a section chief. I'm the chief of the juvenile section, and we are in a different building than the main courthouse. And I have tried to foster in my unit that same uh camaraderie, that same fun. Uh when we get a new prosecutor into my office, one of the first things I say to them is that I am all about fun. However, we have to get our work done. And once we get our work done, then we can think about having fun.

SPEAKER_03

That's right.

SPEAKER_01

So that and it works really well. In fact, I go out to my people, and one of the things I think is very successful is I speak to everyone every day. And I have thirty-five people in my unit in the juvenile section. And it makes a difference because you have time to speak to them, you have time to make uh acquaintances uh deeper than what you normally would do. And you can know how they're doing, how their families are, uh, what problems they're having, what their cases look like, and if they need some help and some mentoring, and that works really well. And I think it needs to be throughout the whole office.

SPEAKER_03

Let me ask you a question. So my father uh was an attorney, um, you know, he he's deceased now, but um, he used to tell me all the time that the legal community is a very small community, and people don't understand that. You know, in a big city like San Antonio, uh, but you know, the all the lawyers tend to all know each other. And you mentioned earlier that, hey, every once in a while you get a bad apple. And that was always his big thing, is you know, your reputation in the legal community precede you. Like people find out who you are, that you what your reputation is, and and they, you know, and they they kind of work with you based on that. Um you talked about kind of the loss of camaraderie.

SPEAKER_01

Do you think maybe there's been a little bit of loss of professionalism within the legal community or I think that there probably has, but it's not is not necessarily the fault of the young lawyers coming in. I think that they're coming out of law school um not knowing what they really need to know. I think it's very important that the when they come into a DA's office to work, that they have a mentorship program to teach them. I believe that uh a lot of the young prosecutors, they're uh they're excited to be here. They want to do the right thing, and they are trying so hard if they could just figure out what the right thing was. Right.

SPEAKER_03

Right, right, right. They they need to channel that energy somewhere, but you need somebody to kind of guide it to say, hey, this is what you need to be playing.

SPEAKER_01

I think, yes.

How The DA’s Office Is Structured

SPEAKER_04

And as a just real quick, I mean, as a employee under Chief Davis, I can say that that camaraderie was very real within her division. Um it was something that it's not just an open door policy. It felt very comforting in coming in and learning a system, right? Because starting personally as a family violence prosecutor, um, I was very confident in those cases. You kind of grow accustomed to those things. And shifting to a juvenile division is a huge change, new laws, new systems, uh, new judges, obviously. And so going into her team was something that was felt like a blessing. I learned and was very happy with that. And so also for the people listening, you know, you mentioned being a part of every division in the DA's office. What are the divisions generally uh so that the community knows?

SPEAKER_01

Well, there's 15 of them. And you know, we have uh we have intake, we have grand jury with intake, we have uh what used to be called special crimes, now it's called uh the word the letters are P-I-C-K-R. And so it's cybercrime, uh, you know, all those things there. We have uh family violence, if I didn't mention that. We have misdemeanor, we have um appeals, we have civil, we have uh uh uh uh what do you call it? Um when the uh I the word will come to me in a minute. It's where you have uh the uh children uh children's court and uh child protected services. Yeah, it's coming to me now. Uh and so we have all those different sections uh and uh we have chiefs in every section. I think it is very important that we realize that probably we need to make some changes in within the sections themselves for better structure and for better mentoring of the young prosecutors. But basically those are the sections. I don't know if I got all 15 of them. We do have the Family Justice Center, which is um a section of its own where the pro uh protective orders come from.

SPEAKER_04

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

And um during the time now you said hey, there's fifteen different sections.

SPEAKER_01

And I'm left out felony section, the the one of the biggest ones of all the time.

SPEAKER_03

The criminal trial. Yeah, criminal trial division.

SPEAKER_01

Um juvenile.

SPEAKER_03

Has it always been that way? Had you know you've been through various DAs.

SPEAKER_01

I mean, was were there always all these different divisions or there generally have been divisions, and sometimes they have put two divisions together. Maybe they've changed the name, maybe they've changed the kinds of cases the division works on, but there generally has always been uh separate uh divisions. Aaron Powell Okay.

SPEAKER_03

And it is that uh you know the division structure is that I guess the idea behind that is you have dedicated prosecutors who are handling a specific type of case so that they become very good and very uh you know familiar with that type of work.

SPEAKER_01

Aaron Powell That's the general idea. It it is my view that a regular trial prosecutor ought to be able to try anything. And I know that there are certain cases that require a certain expertise, a certain nuance. And those prosecutors at a higher level should probably stay in those units where they can use that expertise. But I think all the young prosecutors ought to be exposed to all the whole section uh uh group.

SPEAKER_03

So they can be a little more well-rounded. Yes. Right, right. So we're coming up on the break. Uh when we come back after the break, we're gonna continue with our conversation with Jane Davis. She is a candidate for district attorney here in Bear County.

SPEAKER_02

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Why Run For DA And Core Qualifications

SPEAKER_03

So uh at at some point you decide, hey, I'm gonna go ahead and run for district attorney. Uh what is it that led you to that decision?

SPEAKER_01

I filed on the last day of filing when I saw the list of the candidates.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

And I realized that while they're all probably nice people, none of them have the experience that I do, none of them have the temperament that I do, and none of them have the maturity that I do to run this office of over 500 people. So that's why I said, you know, I care about this community, I care about this office. It is a crucial time in the office for the DA's office to be able to serve the people of Bear County and to serve the people well, efficiently, fairly, justly. And I believe I am at this point the person most qualified to be able to lead that office, and that's why I filed.

SPEAKER_03

So you had said uh, you know, I I took a look at the list and I said, hey, these people don't have the same experience or temperament that I do. Um what is it about your experience and your temperament that you feel like, hey, this this would be a good position for me?

SPEAKER_01

Well, the experience, we've kind of mentioned it. I've worked under seven different district attorneys, I know what works. I don't have to go frivolously, frivolously off of trying to figure out a new scheme to get people's attention, to look like I'm doing something. I know what works. And the um the whole idea of uh being efficient is I think uh you don't want to waste people's time and money. You want to be fair with the public, you want the public to have confidence and the and the justice system. So those are the sorts of things I'm I'm looking for.

SPEAKER_03

So are there any I mean uh you know, having served under uh a bunch of different DAs, you've said, hey, I've seen, you know, some good things, some bad things. So I'm sure you've kind of picked and chosen things that you've seen that have worked, things that haven't worked. Are there any specific changes or policies that you have in mind that, hey, if I'm elected, this is this is what I'm gonna do?

Concrete Reforms: Victim Contact And Portal

SPEAKER_01

Well, I brought a list. Can I refer to it? Absolutely. Okay. One of the first things I would do as DA is to make sure that a victim of family violence uh has contact with the DA's office within 24 hours of the event. So is that not the case now? No, it's not the case. We have advocates that try to contact the victim, but I don't think they're successful, and we certainly don't have the 24-hour rule. I think that we need to contact that person, and it I'm gonna say her, because that's usually the the woman. I'm gonna say that it she needs to know what her avenues are, what her options are. If she needs to escape, she needs to know that. If she needs help in rent or clothing or food or housing, uh she needs to know about the Family Justice Center. She can go there, she can go to other agencies, she needs to know this. We need to contact her within 24 hours, and then we need to keep in contact with her. And I think there needs to be uh a way that the victims have a uh use of the victim's portal. They can they can find now about the case, uh they can go into the Bear County uh district clerk's office and find out about their case, but we ought to have a portal in the DA's office so that they can find out specifically about their case, when it's set, what's going to happen at this next setting, and that sort of thing.

SPEAKER_03

To keep them informed and up to date and to be and to be protected.

SPEAKER_01

Right. I think another thing that we ought to do, uh we we've mentioned backlog many times about the DA's office. And uh w when I go out of in the public, people ask about the backlog. So it's been mentioned. And I believe one of the things we could do about that, we s have a what we call a strike force, a a per a group that is trying very hard to work on that backlog and get it taken care of.

SPEAKER_03

And the backlog, this these are just cases that are pending and unfiled. They've been pending and people are waiting for them to get to court.

Cutting Backlogs With Embedded ADAs

SPEAKER_01

It's it it's at the intake level. And I think it would be helpful if we would have an assistant district attorney who is uh has some experience to go to uh each law enforcement uh agency, if we would be allowed or invited, to go to their headquarters or their substations, put an ADA there so they could assist in report writing and in what is needed for the case. The uh law enforcement people work a probable cause level. We have to work beyond a reasonable doubt level. And so it is very important that the officer understands the kinds of things, kinds of evidence that we're going to need to prosecute the case. As it stands right now, we have law enforcement writing the reports, sending them to the DA's office. Somebody in the DA's office refers to it, looks at it, decides, oh, this we need this, a piece of evidence. They send it back to the officer. The officer puts it on his desk for a while, and it sits there, and then finally he gets whatever and he sends it back. And so that's a lot of time waste. Right. And it could be helpful if we were to put an ADA to make the ADA available to assist. Not to try to write reports for the officers, no, but to assist, to confer.

SPEAKER_03

To make it a little more efficient. Yes.

SPEAKER_04

And so when the file arrives, it it's already it's more complete. Right. Right. It's a complete file. And Scott Simpson, former defense attorney with Brick Criminal Defense, now prosecutor in the Atiscosa County, um, he always boasted and really loved talking about his time being able to work with officers directly. And so I think the word you use of efficiency is really kind of the focus there because um that's something why up front, rather than all this time wasting passing back and forth to get really what's needed for the case, it's all kind of done up front.

Rebuilding Trust With Law Enforcement

SPEAKER_01

Right. And then you have the situation where one of the next things I would think be very important for us to do is to work better with law enforcement. Right. Because we are right now, it seems that the DA's office and law enforcement are at loggerheads and don't trust each other and blame, play the blame game all the time, and that's unnecessary. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_03

And those are two entities that have to work together if justice is to be done. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_01

And uh me being the chief of the juvenile unit, we have another forty six school districts to work with those law enforcement people. And I have found that if we will communicate, work together, be open, you know, we're not hiding anything, we're very transparent. We just say this is what we need for the case is can you produce that? And then if we if it can't be produced, then that case goes away because we need a certain amount of evidence.

Specialty Courts And Juvenile Insights

SPEAKER_03

Right. Of course. Yeah. And so uh what are your thoughts on um you know things like specialty courts? Oh yeah. I know that uh specialty courts are you know, just so people know, specialty courts are where you take a certain type of either defendant or caseload, and you have a court dedicated to that. So you might have a mental health specialty court, people dealing with mental health issues, there's veterans courts, things like that. What's your take on that?

SPEAKER_01

I think they're very good. Okay. I think that well in juvenile, the juvenile, there's three district court courts in juvenile, and each court has about five specialty courts assigned to it. Uh a pre-adjudication drug court, a post-adjudication drug court, a mental health court, a trauma-informed court, uh uh child protective services where they've got a case, a criminal case, and they're also in child protective services, a crossover court, a mind court. There's so many good courts that actually look at what the issues are with that youth and try to address them in a way so that the youth can learn to make good choices and not have to continue on in a life of crime. We have a re-entry court for say a person, a youth has been locked up or placed outside his home. And now he's gonna come home and he's gonna go back into the same community where he was. And so if we don't aid that person, what's to stop him from going right back to what he was doing? Right. So you you have to understand that most of the people who get locked up or get put on probation, they're not gonna be there forever. They're going to get out. And you when they do get out, you want them to have been rehabilitated to some point where they can live as a good citizen.

SPEAKER_03

A functioning member of society. Yes.

SPEAKER_01

So important. They're gonna the only the you know, the capital murderers, those those people don't get out, but most people get out and get off probation. So you want to look at the and I know I'm not supposed to use any legalese words, but you look at the criminogenic factors that cause this person to be there. Sure. And it's important to address those factors and help that person to be able to recognize them and to avoid the situations that got them there in the first place.

Data-Driven Rehabilitation Over Punishment

SPEAKER_03

Well, that that's you know one of the things that I respect about a good juvenile prosecutors and good juvenile judges is they're uh looking at, you know, both the offense and and taking responsibility for the offense, but rehabilitation. Absolutely. And and trying to address, like you said, those factors that may have put this person into a circumstance where uh you know they're they're strained, they're walking from the straight and narrow, they they kind of got off the path, and we're we're we're gonna try to get them back on. And so I think being that you're the chief of the the juvenile section, I think you bring an interesting perspective in that regard.

SPEAKER_01

Well I think I've learned a lot, and I've learned a lot about um the data that has been collected over the years on what works and what doesn't work. And when I first started out, you probably I don't know how how far back we go, but it when you first started out, I may have been the bad prosecutor that was just out to get them and you know hit them hard and hit them early and that's going to fix them. Well, we have learned from doing research, studying the data that comes in, we've learned that doesn't work. And the least you can touch a kid that is a juvenile offender, the least you can touch them, the better off they come out with the recidivism factor. Right. So we have to look at the data. We have to look at the research. All the the criminal justice research has been done, the metadata, we we need to use that as far as looking at our sentencing guidelines and our recommendations. I know that we have judges that are going to do the sentencing, but we need to know what would be a good thing. What's appropriate to ask for, right?

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

Bail, Risk Tools, And Public Safety

SPEAKER_01

And the same thing is true in bail, you know, bail bonds. Uh we have a situation where uh that's a big controversial issue. Especially with the latest reforms. And it seems that uh everyone everyone wants to blame the DA's office for the amount of bail that's been set. But people have to understand that the DA's office doesn't set bails. The judge sets the bail, the DA's office makes a recommendation. But it's important in bail to it would be easier and better and more efficient if we had some risk assessment tools to look at that person who's been charged with a crime and see what their risk is to re-offend or to hurt somebody or to not show up for court. And with some good uh assessment tools, some good ways of supervision, we probably could reduce some of the bail situation problems.

SPEAKER_04

And that goes to the efficiency, right? I've said before, and Stephen and I have always talked about it, where the part I loved about juvenile, what I loved learning about it was um a respondent sees a juvenile probation officer immediately upon arrest, and they have this background done and kind of a conversation with the judge is made, and everybody's really hands-on. And so it sounds like you want to bring some of those assessments and tools to adult bonds and adult bails so that when a person is released, they kind of early on have those tools, or at least the system knows some things that they might need in being released. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_01

I think that would be a good way to improve the system.

SPEAKER_03

Trevor Burrus, Jr.: Kind of addressing uh the individual as opposed to just, you know, oh well, you're a defendant, this is what happens. Which is what, you know, to me, justice always is. Justice is always specific to the circumstance and to the individual. It's not just a blanket policy or a blanket rule. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

But but the people who are truly dangerous, they need the high bonds and they need to be locked up.

SPEAKER_03

Sure. Absolutely. Absolutely. And and I think they've changed the laws recently to, you know, the magistrates have uh a little more uh, you know, a little bigger hammer when it comes to some of those things. Are there any other specific policies you would like to address?

Ending Dual Magistration And Delays

SPEAKER_01

Well, yes. Um I think that uh right now there's been talk about the mental health diversion center for nonviolent low-level crimes. I think it's very important that we encourage that in this county. I think we should call for an end to the dispute between the city and the county as far as magistration goes. We have two places of magistration.

SPEAKER_03

I think it's a waste of it's a entire podcast about that where I was shocked. I didn't know any of this. I was shocked to learn that people get magistrated at one place, and then that paperwork basically is voided out, and then they go and they get magistrated again, which seems like a huge inefficiency.

SPEAKER_01

Trevor Burrus, Jr.: It is a and you it takes a prosecutor in both places.

SPEAKER_03

I mean, you know, it's it's uh Well, it delays the amount of time, you know, it it it it there's a delay in when people can get relief. So your loved one gets arrested, um, they're waiting to get bail set, and then there's just this kind of uh inefficiency where they have to see one judge, but technically that judge doesn't count, and they have to see another judge in order to get bail set. And uh it it with the result is delays and people being able to post their bail and get back to their families.

Restitution Center And Internal Training

SPEAKER_01

And it wouldn't be solely up to the DA to be able to stop that, but I think one of the things I would want to do is to work toward that and keep pointing out the how much better it would be. I think another thing we should have is a restitution center where someone has been uh uh committed a crime. But that's a low-level crime, not a violent crime, but can make restitution uh to pay back, to put the victim, make the victim as whole as possible again. I think that would be used to have one, but we don't anymore.

SPEAKER_03

If somebody smashes the window on your car or whatever it is, uh they're obligated to go and pay for that. Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Um I believe that uh we should uh communicate with law enforcement much better. I think that we can work as uh a team with law enforcement. And I think that we m also need to work better with communication in within the office with each other and help. And I think there needs to be a mentoring program, a training program. And uh used to be there were uh sister courts where the felony prosecutors would filter down and help the misdemeanor prosecutors and teach them. And I think that's a good idea. I don't know if I would call it sister courts or what we would do, but I think we would need to foster that kind of mentorship again.

SPEAKER_04

Someone to go to if there's questions on low-level things and you have that kind of high-level prosecutor that's very experienced to teach them.

SPEAKER_01

And we we don't need to make uh young prosecutors afraid to ask questions. Right. They need to be open to asking and getting help and not being afraid.

SPEAKER_03

So uh you know, time flies and we are up against it. So, but before we go, if somebody wants to get more information about you, about your your policies, maybe donate, is there any website? Is there anything?

How To Learn More And Key Dates

SPEAKER_01

Okay, www. davis for d a Davis F-O-R, D A dot com.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, all right. Thank you for that. So this has been BRIC Criminal Defense with Steve Barrera, Jacob Lindbergh, and Jane Davis. She is a candidate for Bear County District Attorney. Now, um you have opponents and they're in the primary, right? Yes, okay. So when do people need to to get out and uh you know, if they like what they've heard, they want to cast their ballot for you? When does all that take place?

SPEAKER_01

Uh February the 17th, it starts, but be sure you're registered to vote, and that's February the 2nd. That's coming up. So make sure you have your registration, and then the 17th of February is when you can start voting.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, thank you all for listening. Take care.

SPEAKER_00

Thanks for listening to So You Got Arrested. If you found this podcast helpful, share it with someone who needs to hear it. For more legal insights and real talk from the front lines of the Texas justice system. Follow us and subscribe. And remember, Brick Criminal Defense has your back. For more information, visit us at brckdefense.com.