Mineral Wells attorney and Municipal Court Judge Keri Walden held court, of sorts, at today's Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meeting.
Our fellow Rotarian (pictured on the left with club President Dianne Templar) told members attending the weekly lunch meeting at Southside Church of Christ of the myriad of duties and responsibilities she has serving in her city judicial role. It involves much more than presiding over traffic and code violations.
She typically holds three court sessions a month for matters involving citations and violations, but Keri is also called on to issue arrest and search warrants, magistrate incarcerated individuals, and presides over low-level juvenile criminal cases, among other duties she is called on to perform or execute.
Married to former Palo Pinto County District Attorney Michael Burns, Keri maintains a private law practice and also serves as the city attorney for the Parker County towns of Peaster, Cool, and Millsap.
She told Rotarians she was magistrating defendants remotely by video call before COVID-19 and continues that practice.
Keri said while most of the cases that come before her involve the ordering of monetary fines upon conviction, she said she often works with defendants who have financial difficulties and offer alternatives, such as payment plans or ordering community service in lieu of a monetary penalty.
Court sessions continue to take place in city council chambers at the City Hall Annex, which is less than ideal but she said they make it work. Keri said talks continue with Palo Pinto County to use the new annex's courtroom for city court cases.
The municipal court judge position is appointed by the city council every two years.
If you want to meet Keri, get a traffic ticket or code violation citation in Mineral Wells and ask for a bench trial. Then tell her you read about her in a Rotary Club story. Maybe she will go a little easier on you if you are found guilty,
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at Southside Church of Christ. Lunch is catered by Sadie's Eats. Check out mineralwellsrotary.org for more information about the club and becoming a member.