Protecting and defending an interpretation and application of our Texas Constitution the way the 1876 ratifying voters intended
Protecting and defending the statute that allows law-abiding citizens the right to openly carry a firearm
Protecting and defending innocent unborn lives
Holding accountable judges and attorneys who disregard or fail in their duties
Holding violent offenders and child predators accountable
Protecting and defending innocent unborn lives
Judge Slaughter always strictly follows the law and carefully considers the facts of each case, her opinions have included:
Constitutional
Conservative & Originalist
As a judge on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Judge Slaughter has participated in deciding more than 20,000 criminal law matters and has authored more than 80 published opinions.
Effective & Experienced
Like many Americans, Judge Slaughter’s family is a mix of many different cultures.
Her paternal grandmother, Pilar Macias, came from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico where Pilar’s father, Telesforo Macias, served as mayor. Pilar Macias, who was a legal U.S. citizen, married Julian Slaughter and had one son, Bob Slaughter – Judge Slaughter’s father, who served as a teacher, coach, and school administrator.
Judge Slaughter’s mother, Judy, an entrepreneur and small business owner, was born and raised in Texas by a WWII Veteran, Harold, and his lovely bride, Hazel.
JUDGE SLAUGHTER’S FAMILY
Judge Slaughter has also promoted and fought for more transparency and better efficiency in the Court. She recognizes that the Court and the criminal justice system as a whole is supported and run on the money of hardworking taxpayers. As such, she wants as much efficiency as possible without sacrificing due process and justice.
As the first Republican judge of the 405th District Court in Galveston, Judge Slaughter inherited a mess. But within her first two years on the bench, she transformed the court from the least efficient and least effective into the most efficient and most effective district court with the lowest backlog in Galveston County. Through her hard work and efficiency and by implementing cost-saving measures, she saved thousands of taxpayer dollars each year.
As a trial judge, Judge Slaughter disposed of thousands of felony criminal cases. These cases ranged from state jail felonies to first-degree felonies and capital murder cases. In the 405th District Court, Judge Slaughter rendered punishments ranging from deferred adjudication for first-time offenders capable of rehabilitation to 99 years and life in prison for repeat offenders and child predators.
Judge Slaughter believes in the rule of law, treating everyone with respect, and ensuring everyone gets a fair trial – both the State and the Defendant. When it comes to punishment, Judge Slaughter’s philosophy as a trial judge was that a Defendant who is a violent or repeat offender does not deserve multiple chances before serving prison time. Her performance and effectiveness as a “tough but fair judge” earned her the respect of her community and hundreds of conservative and law enforcement endorsements over the years.
Before serving as a judge, Michelle was a highly-accomplished attorney. She worked several years for large international law firms and started her own successful law practice – The Slaughter Law Firm, PLLC in Houston, Texas. As an attorney, Michelle litigated highly-complex cases in state and federal courts across the State of Texas and in other states. She tried cases to judges and juries in state and federal courts and took cases up on appeal in both state and federal appellate courts. Her excellent work as an attorney earned her the distinction of “Rising Star” in the Super Lawyers edition of Texas Monthly Magazine1. – an honor bestowed on only 2.5% of all Texas attorneys.
Judge Slaughter is a native Texan, born in Fort Worth, Texas. She is happily married to her best friend and college sweetheart, Ed Walsh, a NASA engineer. Together they have two beautiful daughters, Hazel (age 16) and Laila (age 13), two German Shepherd Dogs, Pixie and Luna, and a fat, fluffy black and white rescue cat named Sal. The family attends church at CityMark Church in League City, Texas.
Conservative & Fair
Judge Slaughter is a real Republican and a true Conservative by conviction; not by political expediency, convenience, or just to get elected.
ROOTS OF JUDGE SLAUGHTER’S CONSERVATIVE VALUES
Her conservative values were instilled in her childhood where she was taught personal and fiscal responsibility, patriotism, and the value of unborn lives. She learned that through hard work and perseverance, anything is possible – the American dream. Growing up, one of her idols was Ronald Reagan. She remembers staying up late to watch the 1984 election returns and cheering with her family as the map showed a wave of red across the nation. But, Judge Slaughter definitely supports the America First agenda and greatly admires what President Trump accomplished in his first term as President.
As a freshman in high school, Michelle had the honor of acting as Mississippi Republican Senator Thad Cochran in the Harvard Model Congress. She was one of the youngest participants competing against hundreds of high school students from across the country, yet won an honorable mention for her work.
In college, Michelle was the vice president of the gun club that celebrated our Second Amendment rights. In law school, she served as President of the Hispanic Law Students Association and spearheaded a program to reach out to low-income, minority high school students to inspire those students to strive for the American dream through hard work and education. Recognizing that these students needed help preparing for the SAT, she organized and served as a tutor for a free SAT preparation class thereby giving these students a hand up and not a hand out.
Judge Slaughter has long been committed to protecting innocent life. That is why for many years she has served on the board of Adria Women’s Health, a pregnancy center in Texas City, TX. Before joining the board, she donated and served as a volunteer to advocate for protection of unborn babies.
WHY JUDGE SLAUGHTER TOOK MORE THAN A 50% PAYCUT TO BECOME A JUDGE
Michelle thoroughly enjoyed her job as an attorney and thrived financially. But Michelle was tired of complaining about the problems she saw in certain courts, especially the 405th District Court. Therefore, Michelle decided she must stop complaining and do something about it. Therefore, she challenged the three-time elected Democrat incumbent judge. Upon realizing he could not win as a Democrat, that judge switched parties and ran as a Republican. Michelle bested three opponents in the 2012 Republican primary and was only 60 votes short of winning the primary outright. In the runoff she soundly beat the party-switching incumbent Democrat judge. Judge Slaughter was elected as the first Republican judge of the 405th District Court.
In 2016, Judge Slaughter was challenged by two Republican primary opponents. Based on Judge Slaughter’s hard work, accomplishments, conservative values, and “tough but fair” reputation, she handily bested these opponents and received over 73% of the primary vote. She was the top vote-getter in a contested race in Galveston County. Judge Slaughter had no general election opponent.
In 2018, Judge Slaughter was called to run for a higher judicial office and ran for an open seat on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. She bested two highly qualified opponents in the Republican primary and won without a runoff. She then went on to the November 2018 general election where she received more than 4.7 million votes. She received more votes than any other contested Republican in the Nation for that election!
While always holding her conservative values dear and voting those values, Michelle was called to become more active with the Republican party after President Obama was elected. She joined the Clear Creek Republican Women and was elected to be their Vice President of Membership. In that role, she helped grow the club and increase participation of its members. She also became a member of the Friendswood Republican Women, Galveston Republican Women, Republican Network, Mid-County Republican Network, and the Galveston Island and Bay Area Pachyderm Clubs and attended and volunteered for many Republican events. After being elected as a district judge, Judge Slaughter helped found and served as an advisor for the Galveston County Chapter of the Hispanic Republicans of Texas.
INVOLVEMENT IN REPUBLICAN ORGANIZATIONS
In addition to community service work in law school, Michelle served as an intern for two federal district court judges – Judge Sim Lake and Judge David Hittner, both Reagan appointees. She also served as an intern to Republican Justice Tim Taft of the First Court of Appeals. Michelle graduated from law school cum laude (with honors) and was inducted into the Order of the Barons (earned for academic excellence – top 15% of her class) and Order of the Barristers (earned for excellence in legal advocacy).
LAW SCHOOL HONORS
JUDGE SLAUGHTER’S CONSERVATIVE VALUES IN ACTION
“Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord who is with you when you render judgment. Now then let the fear of the Lord be upon you; be very careful what you do, for the Lord our God will have no part in unrighteousness or partiality or the taking of a bribe.” II Chronicles 19:6-7.
On the bench, Judge Slaughter has displayed her conservative values. She is an unapologetic Constitutional Conservative and Originalist, protecting and defending a strict and original interpretation of the U.S. and Texas Constitutions. She has never and will never be an activist or legislate from the bench. She has proved this time and again, but her 73-page dissenting opinion on rehearing in State v. Stephens is the best example of it. Thousands of people demanded the Court change its original decision in the case. But Judge Slaughter stands for integrity. She will never sacrifice her morals values and judicial philosophy as an originalist. Judge Slaughter will never be an activist judge and she will never judicially amend the Texas Constitution for any reason, especially for political expediency:
“The people of Texas made the constitution, and they have a right to change it [through a constitutional amendment] if it is found to work harshly and unjustly, but courts have no choice but to enforce and obey its mandates.” Swyane v. Chase, 30 S.W. 1049, 1053 (Tex. 1895).
Judge Slaughter believes in protecting the rights and lives of the unborn. As such, she has served for several years on the board of Adria Women’s Health (formerly the Galveston County Pregnancy and Parenting Support Center) and volunteered and donated to the organization for years before that.
Judge Slaughter believes in personal responsibility and consequences for actions. Additionally, Judge Slaughter believes in small and efficient government. But Judge Slaughter will never sacrifice justice for efficiency. Ensuring justice is served is Judge Slaughter’s top priority.
Judge Slaughter has also been a champion for transparency and protecting the First Amendment rights of conservative voices. Upon being elected as the 405th District Court Judge, Judge Slaughter fulfilled her campaign promise to provide more transparency by creating and maintaining a Facebook Page that informs the public about matters in the 405th District Court and about our legal system. Judge Slaughter has frequently encouraged the public to attend court proceedings. That is because the courts are paid for with taxpayer dollars and anyone is entitled to watch any court proceedings (with very few exceptions). Judge Slaughter invites anyone with an interest in a legal career to visit with her. She always takes the time to talk to these visitors and encourages their interests.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Beyond her public service as a judge, Judge Slaughter believes in giving back to her community. Judge Slaughter involves herself in community service, especially that which helps the elderly, children, and babies. In addition to serving for three years as Vice President of the Board of Trustees for The Galloway School in Friendswood, a private Christian school, Judge Slaughter was a member of the League City Lion’s Club where she volunteered to help cook and serve at their monthly senior citizen breakfasts. Judge Slaughter, for many years, donated items for and volunteered at the semi-annual Senior Share of Galveston County, Inc. events that help senior citizens.
She also serves as the annual sponsor for the Galveston County Fair & Rodeo’s Senior Citizens Day. Judge Slaughter is also an advocate, sponsor and volunteer for various organizations and events to assist pregnancy and parenting centers in Galveston County. These are just a few of the many ways that Judge Michelle Slaughter serves and helps her community.
Judge Slaughter is committed to helping any way she can, including by donating her hair on several occasions to use in wigs for cancer patients.
JUDGE SLAUGHTER ASKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND VOTE
Judge Slaughter has always fulfilled all of her campaign promises and has gone above and beyond in her duties. She now asks for your help, support, and vote in the 2024 Republican primary to be re-elected as Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8. Judge Slaughter wants to continuing applying her constitutional conservative and originalist values, judicial experience, and commitment to our justice system to protect and defend our U.S. and Texas Constitutions and to ensure justice for Texans across the entire State.
